


Jane Doe

by OldLove_NewLove



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: Arthur has a wall around his heart, Arthur helps Frey discover herself, F/M, Fluff, POV First Person, Romance, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, Wordcount: Over 50.000, and in turn learns more about himself, asafure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 60,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7039996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldLove_NewLove/pseuds/OldLove_NewLove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frey, having arrived in Selphia with no memories and no direction, is happy to be given the job of renewing Selphia to it's former glory and working as it's new Princess. Though she's not perfect at first, she's got the help of the secret Prince Arthur. But something still feels missing, deep in her heart. Who was she, before she came to Selphia? </p><p>"Everyone is so nice here... I don't even think I want to know who I was before this. I don't want to leave. But still... Something's bothering me..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Princess Arthur

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers! This is a multi-chapter slow burn romance and self-discovery fic, mostly focused on Frey and Arthur's relationships, and Frey's amnesia. There's some Princess work subplot too, of course! Please let me know what you think of this first chapter. Much love!

It feels as though I have just begun my time on this earth. And yet, I have already grown and lived my life. I've never heard the word amnesia before, I think, but it comes to mind immediately. No one ever explains what it's like to not remember anything, and yet know everything. I can feel knowledge bubbling beneath the surface of my brain. But as for specific details, I can only recall my name.

I'm lying on the ground, next to a large, imposing green dragon. My head pulsates, I'm sure because it had made contact with the hard stone flooring.

“Are you alright?” The dragon inquires above me.

Her voice is so feminine for a dragon, and her facial expression is surprisingly kind. I expected her to be scary, from her size and status as...well, a dragon.

“...I think so,” I say, rising to my feet. My head is spinning and throbbing still, but I feel relatively in control of my faculties.

“You must be... Princess Arthur?” The dragon looks confused, but shakes her head so as to brush off the thought. Then she straightens her posture, as though she is proud of herself. “I am Ventuswill, the Divine Wind! One of the legendary Native Dragons.”

“It's an honor to meet you, Lady Ventuswill,” I begin, unsure of how to address a Native Dragon, whatever that might be. “However you must be mistaken. My name is Frey. And I am no Princess.”

“Nonsense, you must be the Princess! Why else would you be here? We are expecting no other visitors.”

“Well you see, I'm not exactly sure of why I'm here myself. I can't remember anything specific – except my name, that is. It's like where my memories should be in my head is all hazy and blank.”

Lady Ventuswill sighed. “My, my. Our Princess has amnesia... You can call yourself that for now if you wish, I suppose. Surely there's some reason for your grand entrance, however!” She guffawed, looking up to the sky where I had fallen from. “Until we can figure out more, I insist that you stay in the castle here with me, Princess.”

“I am no Princess, with all due respect!” My brows knit together in frustration at her refusal to listen to me.

“Then stay in the castle here, since you clearly have nowhere else to go, weary traveler.” She snorted in jest. “Perhaps the residents of Selphia can help you unearth your memories. At the very least, I can assure you that they will welcome you with open arms. You might even find yourself calling this little town home!”

I avert my eyes, unsure as to why she is being so friendly. To top it off, she tells me to call her Venti. Forget about formalities, she says.

How can I forget about formalities when a dragon is before me?

 

* * *

 

Shortly after this, I retire to what are now my chambers. At least for now, I suppose. I'll have to move out of here eventually. It is an elegant room befitting of a princess, no doubt. Within my chambers I find a small washroom. Though, oddly, there's no place to bathe. I will have to bring that up with Ventuswill tomorrow, when I am more well rested.

In the mirror above the sink I am somewhat displeased with what I find. How I could be unhappy about my appearance when I have never before seen myself I'm not sure, but it was unsettling to say the least, to find green eyes staring back at myself that I do not recognize.

Somehow, I have already come to imagine that my eyes were an amethyst color of sorts.

My hair, too, is in poor shape. Long, straggly green hairs to match my eyes that trail down to my calves are tied up in two long ponytails. The ends are so frayed, when uncapped from their jeweled adornments at the ends they puff out similar to a chipsqueak's tail. I look inside of the medicine cabinet above the sink, finding some headache medicine and an old toothbrush (which I promptly throw away) and toothpaste. Behind a few bottles is a small pair of scissors. I pull at the impressively long twin pigtails and begin to cut off the scraggly ends.

The unhealthy hair falls into the trash bin I placed beneath me, and as the pieces fall it registers in my mind that my hair is so long, it's possible that I've never cut it before in my life.

Somehow I can't find it in me to be guilty.

Once all of the bad ends are taken care of, I re-cap the ends and notice the pigtails are now slightly shorter, but look thicker and healthier as a result of the lack of flimsy ends. Without even a pair of pajamas, I drift off into a dreamless sleep, eager to regain the strength I had no doubt lost from the fall I had miraculously survived.

 

* * *

 

 The next morning, I am awakened by a butler with shimmering eyes and wavy light blue hair, all pulled to one side of his shoulders as though he preferred to twirl it while he thought.

“Princess, good morning!” He says cheerily. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“I am no princess,” I say grumpily. “You can call me Frey. I'm feeling better this morning, physically anyway. What's your name?”

“Butler-in-training Vishnal, at your service! I will be serving you during your stay here in the castle,” he says with a grin, “I'm glad you're feeling better this morning, because I was instructed to take you out to the fields and teach you how to farm.”

“Farm? That doesn't sound very royal.” I pouted my lips in confusion.

“It's a tradition of the royalty here in Selphia,” He explains, “And anyway it doesn't really matter, since you said you aren't a princess, right?” Vishnal winks, leading me to follow him out to the fields behind the castle. I suppose if I'm going to live in the castle I had better earn my keep.

The fields are covered in sticks, rocks, and bamboo. Weeds are growing everywhere. Yet somehow, after some instructions from Vishnal, I manage to make a small four by four plot of turnip seeds and water them before 8 am sharp with the rusty old tools he hands me. Waking at sunrise seems early, but I like the sense of routine. I can see myself doing this often, I think.

“Ah, Princess, now that we're done here, Lady Ventuswill would like to speak with you.” Vishnal gestured to the entrance of the main hall.

 “I told you I'm not a princess, Vishnal.” I scold him.

"Yes I'm sorry, however I think it would really be great for my training, for me to pretend you really are a princess! So will you please allow me to address you as Princess, Miss Frey?”

With that hopeful look in his eyes, I just don't have the heart to say no to him. “Alright, I suppose.”

“Right this way then, Princess.” His smile grows wide as he leads me through the archway to Venti's chambers. As we enter, I hear Venti speaking to someone.

“And who might you be?” Venti asks in a commanding voice. There is a man at the door, dressed in robes that look unseasonably warm.

“I am Arthur D. Lawrence, 13th Prince of Norad Kingdom.” He answers. “Due to unforeseen circumstances I have come a day late; I am sure I have caused you some trouble. For that I am sincerely sorry.”

“I see,” Venti says, contemplating what to say next, “Unfortunately it seems we do not have a room prepared for you, as we were led to believe this young lady here was the Princess.” She gestures towards me.

“Did my father not tell you my name when he announced my arrival?” Arthur's eyes squint behind his glasses as he raises a hand up to the frames to adjust them slightly. They're a startling ruby red.

“Yes, we thought it strange that a Princess be named Arthur, however she came on time and told us so. We had no reason to believe she would be lying, you see...” Venti sighed and pushed me behind her in an attempt to prevent Prince Arthur from hearing my protests against her lies. “Regardless, I will ask that she move into the inn right away, so we may prepare your quarters for you.”

“Oh no, I refuse to be such a burden on you. I will find a room at the inn myself. There's no need for you to make accommodations for me, Lady Ventuswill.” Arthur smiled, “Where did that young lady go to? The one you said claimed to be princess? I am sure we could find an agreement beneficial to both of us regarding my status as Prince.”

I come out from behind Venti's wing and get my first close look at Arthur. His ruby red eyes are even more captivating up close. Behind his spectacles lays a shrewd businessman no doubt, for I feel chills run up my spine from his implications. Does he intend to work me to the grave for taking his place in the palace?

“Since I've come here for the main purpose of handling trade, if you were to take on my duties as Prince, it would be a great help to me. The citizens of Selphia would of course be none the wiser, thinking of you as Princess. This would leave me to work on my business dealings in peace, while you build trust and tourism for Selphia, which would normally also be my job, on top of my usual duties.”

“You know I did not insist I was the princess, right Prince Arthur?” I ask. I hear Venti sigh in frustration behind me as I out her lie.

“Yes, I figured as much.” He laughed lightly, “Misunderstandings happen, Miss...?”

“Frey. Just Frey is fine,”

 “Just Arthur is fine to you as well, then. If you accept my proposal, of course, my identity as Prince must remain a secret.”

"Why would I do your job as Prince? Wouldn't you get in trouble? What could you possibly be doing that you can't be bothered to do your duties as Prince?” My voice takes on more of an accusatory tone than I'd meant for it to, and I hear Venti gasp in surprise behind me.

The look in Arthur's eyes shift from inviting to distant in a flash, as though I had hit a sore spot. “As I said, I will be handling international trade as well as trade within the country. I simply won't have time to manage all of that and put as much time into assisting Selphia as I'd like. One of the two will have to suffer.”

“So why not do less trade?” I counter.

“Unfortunately there is no one who could do the job quite like me. There is no one with any experience available to try, regardless. And who will account for the towns that are suddenly without imports? And without capital that they normally receive from the goods they export through me?”

I frown. I hadn't thought of this. “Why would you be sent here to do this anyway, if you already have too much on your plate?”

“My father vastly underestimates the time I have on my hands, since I do my work so efficiently.” A rueful smile blooms on his face, “Regardless, you are in a perfect position to assist the town of Selphia. You have no other duties, do you? How is it that you arrived in Selphia, in the first place?”

“Um...” I trail off, a little bit embarrassed to tell him of my strange arrival. Venti comes to my rescue, finally owning up to her lie.

“She fell off of an airship, and landed on me. With amnesia, too! What an unfortunate circumstance, to not remember anything...” She sighs, admitting the truth: “I assumed she was the Princess, and didn't listen to her when she tried to tell me she wasn't.” Venti harrumphs, looking to the left so as to avoid Arthur's eyes.

“I see...” He muses, adjusting his glasses, “So you're in the absolute perfect position to take on my role as Prince. You have nowhere else to go, and you were going to stay here anyway... Why not assist the people of Selphia along the way, and see where it takes you?”

Venti shoots me a glare. This was exactly what she had asked me to do.

I guess I have no reason to refuse. I'm being offered a job and a home, and I have nowhere else to go.

“If I accept... Will you give me a few days to do a trial run of sorts?” I ask.

“Of course. And I will help you along the way, as well. If you have any questions, you may ask me at any time.” This time his smile beams brighter, and he seems genuine in his belief that all will be well.

“Alright then. You have a deal.”

 

* * *

 

 After Prince Arthur leaves, I have plenty of questions for Venti.

“Um, Venti? Since I'll be living here, after all... Why is there no place to bathe in the bathroom?”

“Here in Selphia, everyone takes baths in the communal bath house. It's run by Lin Fa and her daughter, Xiao Pai. The tradition was brought over from the far east several hundred years ago, and stuck particularly well here as both a tradition and a tourist attraction. Unfortunately, not many people come to visit anymore since the town's popularity has fallen.”

“Is it like... one giant bathtub?” I ask, scrunching my nose.

“Think of it as an open area where you all shower in the same space, clean yourselves off, and then once you're clean, you all relax together in the bathwater. It's much easier to understand when you experience it. I'm sure you'll have a nice time tonight.” Venti explains.

“Will someone go with me? I don't know if I'm comfortable to go alone when I don't even know how this works...”

“I'm sure Clorica, one of our butlers in training, would love to escort you.” Venti supplies.

“And what about the farming? Don't Princes and Princesses usually not do outdoors work?”

“Perhaps in the capital, yes, but here in Selphia we are a town closely connected to the earth. Part of your job as Princess is to connect with the earth and give back to it and it's inhabitants.”

She tells me more of the runes, the lifeblood of the earth, and how our lives revolve around taking and giving back to the earth, which we do through farming. It all sounds very quaint. Quaint, but nice.

“As for the townsfolk, you should really just get to know everyone yourself! If you like, I can have one of the butlers escort you around the town to meet everyone. Your status as an amnesiac will also grant you leeway with the citizens as you learn the duties of a princess, so that's convenient.” Venti smiles. “Vishnal!” She calls out.

Vishnal appears at the entrance to the butler's quarters a moment later, one hand behind his back as he awaits his orders. His earnest attitude is quite adorable.

“Vishnal, could you please escort Miss Frey around the town to meet everyone?” Venti turns to look at me, “Our town's population is small, but we are all very close. I hope if you succeed as Princess, our population might increase with our tourism.”

"I'll do my best to help in every way I can.” I promise.

“I'm glad.” Venti says, smiling softly down at me.

“Shall I take you around town, Princess?” Vishnal inquires, pointing towards the doorway kindly with his palm extended.

I nod, following him towards the door. As I leave to go meet the townsfolk, I turn back around to face her one more time. “Oh, uh, Venti? Do you know if there are any spare pajamas in the castle? I'd really like to have something comfortable to sleep in tonight,” I say sheepishly.

“Of course! I'll have Volkanon lay a set out for you on your bed for tonight. Have fun!” Venti calls out as I exit the palace.

“I would have invited you inside to meet Clorica and Volkanon, but they are busy making preparations for tonight's dinner. Though I'm sure Clorica would love to escort you to the baths this evening so you can relax and get to know one another, Princess!”

Vishnal's smile is like a beacon of light. I can't help but find myself grinning alongside him.

“Thank you, Vishnal. You're too kind.”

“Anyway, on with the tour!”

Vishnal begins by taking me to the edge of town, where there is a lake. He says it's called Dragon Lake. At the lake's edge, there's two women sitting together on a picnic blanket, staring out at the waves lapping at the edge. I'm introduced to them as Lin Fa and Xiao Pai. They're the ones that Venti said run the bath house here in Selphia.

“As far as I know, I've never had a communal bath before.” I say, kneeling on their picnic blanket with their permission.

“Oh, it's so nice! It's a common tradition in the East where we come from,” Lin Fa explains.

“Make sure you try our scented bath tonight, yes? I chose rose for the scent today,” Xiao Pai adds in.

“I'll definitely try everything I can! Thank you for the suggestion,” I say, getting up from the picnic blanket. “I'll see you later! Lovely to meet you!”

Vishnal and I re-enter the town. I notice that we walk by multiple houses that all seem dark and unoccupied. “Vishnal, are all of these homes really empty?” I frown.

“Yes, unfortunately our town has seen much higher population rates than what we have now. But I'm sure if we bolster tourism, more people will want to move here! Imagine the large festivals we could have!” Vishnal says with an enthusiastic smile.

I nod. “It will be nice to see this town thrive. I hope I can help it the way you all say I will be able to.”

Our next stop is the clinic, where I am introduced to the local doctor, Jones, and his wife, Nancy. Their relationship with one another is clearly very strong. As we leave, I whisper to Vishnal about the lack of any children in their family, not wanting them to hear me.

“Nancy seems to be unable to bear children... They've been trying for so long.” Vishnal's usually bright face lengthens into a frown. “They would be so perfect for a child, too.”

I nod. It's obvious Nancy is almost destined to be a mother.

The nearest occupied home houses the town's proclaimed Dragon Knight and her younger brother, Kiel. After a knock on the door, Vishnal introduces me.

“I am Forte. It's lovely to meet you, Princess. I promise I will do all I can to protect you.” I blush a little at this sudden proclamation of protection. She seems sweet. As she is saying this, her brother whispers in my ears rumors about how his sister is really terrified of specters.

Hopefully as he grows up he'll learn to not have such a large mouth. In the meantime, I giggle because it is funny, after all.

Forte walks Vishnal and I next door to meet Bado, the local blacksmith. His lackadaisical attitude lends to his lack of customers. Forte also tells me that because of this attitude most of his weapons are quite dull. As some sort of gift for arriving and becoming Princess, he offers my first weapon to be on the house. I suppose if I ever wish to venture outside of Selphia, I'll be sure to take him up on that offer. Even if it's dull, it's something.

Vishnal and I walk across the town square, into a small flower shop, owned by a crazed girl who goes by Illuminata, who claims she is half detective, half flower shop owner. She gives me some moondrop seeds as a friendly welcome and tells me to stop by again soon.

I pass a small field of flowers behind the shop, which must be Illuminata's. It's got beautiful yellow and white flowers growing in straight rows all the way across the farmland. I think back to my own paltry soil and am somewhat embarrassed at it's current state. I tell myself I must clean it up as Vishnal and I enter the proclaimed Sincerity General Store. They sell anything from seeds to basic goods and necessities. I notice with relief that someone in this town sells feminine hygiene products, though they might be more expensive because there is only one general store in the whole town.

A kind old lady named Blossom greets us as we enter the store. She, too, bears gifts for me in the form of some uncooked rice and other goods. There's a little bit of everything in the pile. Including some fresh berries, I note with enthusiasm. Though I don't have any specific memories pertaining to berries, just looking at the sweet strawberries and blueberries I know I will find them to be delicious.

Blossom calls a boy named Doug downstairs, who I can only assume to be her grandson. He greets me with an awkward “Hey,” and some kind words of greetings.

I wonder emptily if everyone is afraid to bring up my amnesia, because no one has said a single thing pertaining to it specifically. They've all, however, offered to assist me in one way or another, even though it's I who should be assisting them as Princess. Word probably spread about my predicament quickly.

Finally, Vishnal and I come upon one of the largest buildings in town, Porcoline's Kitchen. Outside there's a flamboyant gold statue of two lobsters who appear to be at odds with one another.

I expect it to be a rather grand place inside, but it feels almost like home, whatever that means to me. The wooden floors are worn down to a dull sheen, and the tables and chairs feel lived-in but not ratty or broken. There's a grand piano in the corner, where an elf is sitting and playing music.

“Wow, hello, Princess! My name is Margaret, but you can call me Meg, if you like. That's what all my friends call me. It's lovely to meet you!”

Her boundless energy surprises me, almost as much as the infamous Porcoline himself, who appears next.

“Oooh, Princess!” I hear someone rushing down the stairs to the left, and look to find a large man running straight towards me. “I am Porcoline De Sainte-Coquille, at your service!”

“It's nice to meet you, Porcoline,” I say, unsure of what else to do with this man's passionate energy.

“If you're looking for Arthy-poo, I made him stay with me! He's in the office on the other side of the restaurant! Have you met him yet? He's such a darling! And that _hair_!” Porcoline continues to ramble to himself, and begins to walk away from me without saying goodbye.

I watch as he turns toward the restaurant counter and pulls a carrot from his pocket, devouring it in one bite. Before I can bring myself to be rude and laugh aloud, I turn to Vishnal.

“Vishnal, I think we should go see if Arthur has settled in well.”

“Yes, I agree, Princess! Are you hungry? I'm sure Porcoline would love to cook lunch for you!”

“I think that's a great idea. Meg, would you like to join us?”

“Of course!” She said with a smile, bounding over to Vishnal and I.

  
“Alright then, you two wait here. I'm just going to go say hello to Arthur. I'll be back over in a minute!”

 

* * *

 

 Arthur's new living quarters are astonishingly large for just one person. It's nearly the size of the entire restaurant on the other side of the building. There is room for a desk, filing cabinets, various knick knacks, and even a sitting area off to the side.

“Prince Arthur, is all of this yours?” I ask, wide eyed. There's even a globe larger than I am standing by a window.

“Princess, I thought we agreed to keep our identities a secret?” Arthur looks up at me, lowering his glasses from his eyes for a moment. He's probably shocked that I had already forgotten not to call him that.

“I'm sorry, Arthur, I've forgotten already... I've just never met a Prince before, at least I don't think so, and I don't want to be rude!”

“Don't worry, Miss Frey, I don't think I'm very princely anyway.” He laughs lightly, “Anyway, to answer your question: partially. The goods adorning the furnishings are mine. The rest all belongs to Porcoline. He has truly been too kind to me. He has lent me not only this office and a room to stay in, but also use of his airship for trade purposes. I will do everything I can to repay his generosity.”

“You sure speak like royalty, Arthur.” I say with a laugh.

“Ah, you're right. I will have to practice speaking more casually. Perhaps you can help me sometime.” He smiles and gets up from his desk, which is already cluttered with paperwork, and walks over to the pair of couches, motioning for me to sit across from him. “How are you adjusting?”

“It's a lot to take in. Thankfully everyone here is so nice and understanding! I think it helps too that I've forgotten everything. It's a convenient excuse for why I would know nothing about being a princess.” I laugh lightly, but then my mood sobers, “Though I feel like parts of me are missing. I don't think I even have twenty four hours of memories, yet.”

My mouth turns down into a frown as I say my last sentence. I look into my lap and twiddle my thumbs. “Not to worry, Miss Frey. I'm sure you'll make many new memories here in Selphia.”

“Yeah...” I sigh, “I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to just start a new life, when I don't even know what my last one was... I don't even know if I want to know what my life was like. Everyone here is so kind, I don't think I would want to leave...”

“No one is forcing you to look into your past, Frey. You could even think of this as a blessing. If what you want to do is stay in Selphia, no one will blame you for doing just that. As for your memories, if they come back in time, that's fine. If not, that is fine too. It's your life to live.”

I sigh again, a long one this time, letting the bad feelings exit my body in the breathy exhale. “Thank you, Arthur,” I say, looking back up into Arthur's eyes. His hair really is perfectly trimmed, now that Porcoline mentions it. I reach down to the ends of my pigtails and finger the ends where I clipped the dead ends.

“Your hair is amazingly long, Miss Frey. Do you think it grew out for your entire life?”

“Possibly,” I say with a frown, “The ends were awfully frayed. I just had to cut them off. The sight of them made my skin crawl, thinking such awful things were growing from my head!” I say with a laugh.

“Well if it makes you feel any better, the ends look quite healthy now.” Arthur smiles, examining the ends of one of my ponytails with me.

“Thanks, Arthur. When I looked in the mirror for the first time yesterday, I felt completely out of whack. Like I'm stuck in someone else's body. My hair was awful. My eyes aren't right. It's just completely the opposite of what I was expecting. My clothes aren't even what I would wear! Look at them!”

I point almost hysterically at my breastplate, which has three chain links hanging from the center of one breast, for what seems like no reason other than aesthetic. By this point I am indignant and upset, staring at Arthur with pleading eyes. His expression turns sympathetic.

“It sounds like you need a true princess makeover.” Arthur's face brightens up again into a smile. “I can take you to the capital in a couple days time, if you'd like. We can find you some clothes that suit you better. They have quite the selection there. How does that sound?”

I feel pressure escape from me like a boiler. Am I truly this upset about my appearance? “Thank you, Arthur. I really appreciate it. I know you're busy, I'm sorry I'm making you take me to do something as silly as shopping. I can ask the girls in town if they know anywhere around here that could help me, if it's too much trouble – ”

“Nonsense, Princess, I insist.” Arthur smiles.

“Thank you, again.” I pause, realizing I have been with Arthur longer than I planned. We had quite the in-depth conversation. “I should probably get back over to the restaurant. Vishnal, Meg, and I are having lunch. Would you like to join us?”

“I will be alright, but thank you for the offer. I must power through this work, as I have been put behind schedule due to my delayed arrival.”

“Oh yeah! Arthur, why were you late? I don't think I caught the reason when you arrived.”

“Apparently a Jane Doe fell off of an airship. A short investigation followed, shutting down airship travel briefly. No one knows who she was, or if she survived.” Arthur frowned. “It's unfortunate, that things like this happen in our everyday lives, isn't it?” 

As he says this, Arthur looks straight into my eyes, as if he's silently passing on information. _I know it was you._

Flabbergasted, I merely nodded and returned to the restaurant to have lunch. After that revelation, I was starving.

I'm dead. Missing. And no one knows who I was, including myself.

Perhaps what's most interesting to me is the fact that Arthur seems to understand my need to recreate myself. It's clear he knows I am the one who fell from the airship. Yet he made no offer to help me find my old identity. Instead, he offered to help me start a new life.

To take on the role of a princess, and redefine myself so that I am no longer reminded of my past self... Whoever she was. That is what I want to do.


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey learns more about her neighbors and visits the baths.

After lunch, I head back to the palace in order to plant my newly acquired seeds and put away the gifts Blossom gave to me. Unfortunately, I have no refrigerator in my room for my fruits and chocolate. I wandered into the butler's quarters, looking for one of the three butlers to assist me. I find Volkanon watering a plant in the hall just outside of Venti's chambers.

“Um, Volkanon? Would you happen to have some extra room in your fridge? Just until I can get one myself, I need a place to store these so they will stay fresh,” I say with a frown, unsure of where to put them.

“But of course, Princess! You may store whatever you need in our refrigerator until you can purchase one yourself. I believe Porcoline should be able to assist you in that endeavor.” Volkanon nabs my perishables without another word and ran into the butler's quarters to store them.

I return to my room to look at the gifts I had received from Blossom earlier. There was quite a lot. All of the toiletries I could possibly need were in small little packages, designed to last me a couple weeks until I could purchase my own. There was even a toothbrush.

 

Later that evening, it was time to go to the bath house. Clorica came to greet me an hour or so after dinner in order to take me to the bath house. I haven't visited yet, since I met Lin Fa and Xiao Pai earlier today at the lake. “Princess Frey, are you ready to go to the bath house? Forte and Meg said they would like to meet us there, if you are up for it. Of course if it's too much in one day, I can take you later when it will be less busy.” Clorica stifles a yawn and smiles as she walks closer towards me.

“I think it would be fun to get to know everyone better. I only have one question... I know I should bring a change of clothes and my toiletries, but I don't have a towel... What should I do? And do you change back into your day clothes, only to change into your pajamas at home if you're planning on getting rest?” I pout. I clearly know nothing about communal baths.

“Lin Fa will have towels you can rent from her for 100 gold. The bath also costs 200 gold per use. I know you don't have any money yet, Princess, so you can borrow some from me.” Clorica hands me 3 gold coins with 100s stamped on them. I look into her eyes to thank her and notice they've slipped closed.

“Clorica?”

“You can wear your pajamas home from the bath. Everyone does it...” She begins to snore lightly and I have to shake her on the shoulder a little to wake her up. “It's time to go to the bath house!” She chirps, startling awake.

“Yes, I suppose it is...” I laugh, grabbing my little cache of toiletries and fold up my pajamas under my arms. “Shall we go?”

Clorica is nodding off again, so I pull her along outside of the castle until she is awake enough to show me the way to the bath house.

It turns out to be a very short walk, and it's very obvious which building it is. It's red exterior sticks out like a sore thumb in this stone town. Bath house on bottom, inn on top; I can see the lower level is completely lit up in the evening light. The windows are all opaque, to provide privacy. It looks like a lantern.

“Hi, Lin Fa!” Clorica greets cheerily. “I'm teaching the Princess how to use the baths! She's apparently never used one before.”

“Clorica, I have bathed before! Just never all together...” I laugh.

“Well, it'll be 200 for the bath, and 100 extra if you wish to rent a towel.” Lin Fa smiles brightly at me, and then winks. “But, since it's your first time, you can try it for free. You can bathe here for your first week for free, okay Miss Frey?” I nod and smile, taking back the 3 coins Clorica had given me. I motion to hand them back to her, and she shakes her head, telling me to keep them. Clorica hands over two. Lin Fa places a soft, fluffy towel in my arms for me. “You can place your things in your locker while you're bathing, Miss Frey. I hope you have a relaxing bath!”

Lin Fa watched as we entered the women's bathing area, waving goodbye. The door shut behind us and I found us inside a room with a straw mat. “What is this flooring, Clorica?” I ask.

“It's tatami. It's supposed to be soft on your feet after the bath. Don't step on it while you're still wet, though. This is the area for getting changed. When you're all dry after the bath,” She points over to an area that doesn't have tatami mats, where we can lay our towels while we bathe, “you can come over here and put on your clothes.”

I nod, taking in all of the information. No one else is in the changing area right now, but I can see vaguely into the steamy bathing area where there are a couple of women inside.

Clorica and I both get fully undressed. I take a little longer to get used to the idea of being fully naked in front of her, choosing to change slowly regardless of my nerves so as to not seem overzealous. When she notices I'm ready, Clorica grabs my hand and takes me over into the bathing area, dropping off our towels beforehand. As I enter the bathing area, I am somewhat amazed with what I find.

It's a gorgeous, large room with steam floating at the top of the ceiling. There is a divider that reaches about fifteen or twenty feet in the air, separating the men from the women, but it doesn't reach all the way up to the ceiling to allow for airflow. The entire area is tiled, with a wall lined with mirrors and taps for cleaning off before getting in the baths. Clorica motions for me to grab a stool and I sit next to her to clean myself off. I laugh when I see her brushing her teeth and spitting right into the little gutter at our feet where the dirty water washes away.

“Is it really okay to brush your teeth in here?”

“Yeah. If you don't like it, you can brush your teeth at the sink outside in the changing area. I think it's fun to get everything squeaky clean at once!” Clorica grins.

“Yeah, I think you're right.” I smile.

Clorica's face turns mock-serious for a moment, and leans over to me to whisper in my ear. “I forgot to tell you! If you're on your period, don't go in the water. Just wash yourself off, okay?”

“Thanks for telling me.” I say. I probably would have been nervous to come to the baths in general if I was on my period.

“No problem, Princess.”

As I finish washing out my hair, I notice Clorica has already finished hers and has begun to wash herself off. She grabs my soap out of my hand and my washcloth, much to my surprise.

“When we want to show someone that we love and respect them, we wash each other's backs!” Clorica says with a happy grin as she begins to scrub my back quite vigorously. I'm sure I'm scrubbed pink by the time I'm done, so in order to repay the favor, I scrub her back as well. We're both laughing about our aches and pains from the day washing away with the soap and water as I scrub her back.

As we finish cleaning off, I survey the rest of the area. There are three pools of water. One smaller one that is pink tinted, and seems to be bubbling. There is a still water pool which is the largest, and has a fountain of water crashing down into the center from a large statue of some sort of monster. The water is pouring out of it's mouth. The most steam seems to be coming from that one. Finally there is a smaller pool off in the corner, which doesn't look large enough to enter.

“Clorica? Which water do I go in first?”

I look at the large still water pool and notice Forte and Meg inside. I wave enthusiastically over at them to say hello.

“Hi, Princess Frey!” They call over in moderately conversational tones, so as not to disturb anyone. I notice Granny Blossom over in the corner, laughing at our zealousness as we wave to each other in the nude. When not inside the baths, it would certainly be a strange experience. Yet I can't help but already feel comfortable among all of the ladies here.

“The little pool over there is cold water, if you get too hot or you feel like you can't breathe, you should get out and go splash some water on your face or pour some on yourself, okay? Don't faint during your first time in the baths, Princess.” Clorica laughs at me, probably imagining me passed out on the tile floors. “The large pool is the hottest one, for just sitting and relaxing. You should stay in there the shortest amount of time because it's so hot. Especially because it's your first time!” She giggled. “The bubbly bath's scent changes every day. Today it's rose, it's supposed to be calming and romantic.” Clorica sighed happily. “You should try the rose bath to start, it's not as hot as the big one.”

 

I enter the rose bath with Clorica, leaning over the edge to talk to Meg and Forte in the larger pool next to it. I'm surprised to find the tiles are molded so that one can lay down as though they were on a lounge chair, under the water. I lay back and relax, feeling so sleepy I almost think I'm turning into Clorica. After a little while, Forte and Meg go to rinse off and leave, and Clorica and I switch into the still water pool.

I place my feet in first and am shocked at the intense heat of the water. I find myself having to take it inch by inch, slowly lowering myself until I am fully immersed. It feels amazing, but after a few minutes I can feel sweat begin to bead up on my forehead, and my breaths start to slowly get shallower and shallower.

Clorica somehow notices I'm feeling faint with her eyes closed and leads me over to the shower faucets. She turns one on cold and forces me to stand there in it until my breathing returns to normal. “Ahh, Clorica it's cold!” I say, reaching to turn off the faucet.

“You'll get better with the hot water the more often you bathe. You have all week to practice for free, too! I'm so jealous!” She laughs and we both go to towel off and put on our pajamas. In the locker area I now notice that there are also beauty products available for use. Meg and Forte are drying and styling their hair for bedtime. I dry off my hair and wrap it up once more in it's bun, placing a terrycloth headband on my head to keep my bangs out of my eyes. Blossom comes out of the baths as we are getting ready to leave and smiles at me.

“You look good with that headband on, Miss Frey!”

“Oh thank you Granny Blossom, I love it! I appreciate all of your gifts, they all came in handy tonight.”

“It's the least I could do, dear.” Blossom says as she pulls her nightgown over her head.

I leave my towel in the bin for rental towels to be washed as per the signage in the changing area, and exit the bathing area feeling completely refreshed.

“The only thing that's better than a good bath, is after-bath ice cream!” Clorica says in excitement. Surely enough, Lin Fa has an assortment of ice cream available for purchase after the bath. Clorica buys an ice cream and we go to sit at the communal seating area just outside of the baths, where Kiel and Forte are seated on little pillows set up on the floor around a low table.

“How did you like the baths, Frey?” Kiel asks with a smile.

“It's _Princess_ Frey, Kiel,” Forte admonishes.

“Really, just Frey is fine. I love the baths! They're so relaxing! I can't wait to come again tomorrow,” I say with a big grin on my face.

 

“Here, Princess,” Kiel pointedly looks at Forte and sticks his tongue out, “Have an ice cream! It's great after the bath.”

“Thank you, Kiel.” I take the ice cream sandwich in hand and begin to munch on it slowly. The coolness of the ice cream counteracts with my hot skin pleasantly, making me sigh in content. “Forte, do you not like ice cream?” I ask, looking around at the group seated at the table. Everyone but Forte is indulging in ice cream in a late-night episode of Bonding with Frey.

“Oh no, I don't very much like sweet things.” Forte said. Her face, however, betrays her statement. She looks as though she's having a very hard time refraining from indulging. She's even sitting on her hands!

Kiel shoves an ice cream bar in her hands too, making her sigh. It was supposed to be a sigh of exasperation, I think. But it turned out much more like a sigh of relief as she reaches for the ice cream.

Unfortunately for Forte, the local glutton exits the baths at the same moment. “Ooh, ice cream?!” Porcoline bounds over to our table with Arthur and Meg following behind him, and bites the ice cream right out of Forte's hand as she's taking it from Kiel.

He makes a satisfied sound and pats his tummy. “That was delicious! I must be getting to bed now. Good evening!” Porcoline exits as quickly as he entered, forcing Meg to run after him to lecture him instead of joining the rest of us at the table.

Arthur, after witnessing Porcoline's devouring of Forte's ice cream, pays for a new ice cream cone and hands it to her. “He seems to have a never-ending stomach... But he is very kind, from what I have seen. I'm sure if he wasn't so tired he would have bought you a new one, Forte.”

“You didn't have to do that, but thank you anyway.” Forte says quietly, a blush creeping onto her face.

I pat the empty cushion next to me, motioning for Arthur to sit next to me. “Arthur, was this your first time in a communal bath too? How did you like it?” I ask him with a smile.

Arthur takes the seat next to me, folding his legs to the side like the ladies rather than the traditional casual cross-legged position for the men, probably due to the bathrobe he's wearing. He looks much skinner than he did in all of those day robes he was wearing when I met him. He doesn't have those pins in his hair either, leaving him looking fresh faced and ready for bed. Kiel and Forte are in similar fashion – Forte looks positively feminine without her armor on.

“Ah, the baths were truly relaxing! I especially loved the rose scented bath, Lin Fa. I look forward to tomorrow's scent.” He looks over to Lin Fa at the counter, smiling graciously. “I have been to several communal baths before during my travels, but never have I before enjoyed a bath with Porcoline. I think he broke a few rules of etiquette, but overall it was quite fun.” Arthur can't help but let out a laugh at the end, no doubt thinking of the hijinks Porcoline got up to in the baths.

“A few?” Kiel sputtered, “He was running around and whipping his– ”

“I think that's enough details Kiel, there's ladies here remember. And your sister is one of them,”

“Right, sorry. It was crazy. Let's leave it at that,” Kiel says with a laugh.

“I can only imagine what Porcoline was getting up to over there... I thought I heard some shouts on the other side of the barrier!” I laugh.

We all continue talking until we finish our ice cream cones. By the end of it all I feel a deep sense of peace that I think I'm feeling for the first time in my life, including my unknown past.

“It's been lovely chatting with you all, but I really must get back to work so I can retire at a decent time tonight. Goodnight everyone,” Arthur stands and exits the baths, saying goodnight to everyone personally before he leaves. He leaves me with a “Goodnight, Princess,” and a generous smile that sets my heart aflutter along with the rest of my body, already overly-relaxed from the baths.

“It's been so long since we've had new residents! And now we have one right after the other, how fun!” Kiel says with a smile, leaning back on his hands.

“Yes, it is refreshing to see new faces in town.” Forte agrees.

As I throw away the napkin I used to hold my ice cream, I look to my side where Clorica is sleeping, her head resting on the table. “I think I should get going to bed. Goodnight Kiel, Frey.” I smile at them, standing up from the table and gripping Clorica by the arm, “Come on Clorica, it's time to go back home.”

 

Home. That's what Selphia is to me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey shares lunch with Arthur, and heads into Yokmir Forest with Forte to check out the rumors about the butterflies.

It's been a couple of days since my arrival and I am finally starting to turn a profit. My first batch of turnips have grown and I've shipped them off, turning a couple into dishes of pickled turnips with the cooking table Porcoline gave me for when I get hungry. My new refrigerator holds my pickled turnips and other perishables, and I think maybe I will buy some bread from Porcoline so I can make some fruit sandwiches with the fruits Granny Blossom gave me.

This town has already become my home, and it hasn't even been a week. Everyone is so kind and caring here, it's refreshing. Especially considering the fact that I still don't feel at home in my own skin. This morning in particular I felt extremely melancholy when I awoke, and I'm not sure why.

I just felt... sluggish. When I looked in the wardrobe prior to dressing I only felt worse, staring at these stupid clothes that are half casual wear, half battle armor, and half stupid design. Who wears a long skirt to fight monsters? Who goes into battle in a breastplate that doesn't cover their stomach?

Who was I?

I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration and try not to let the tears escape, but they creep to the edges of my eyes until two escape and run down my cheeks. I rub them away furiously, thankful that Vishnal had left shortly after he woke me, so he didn't have to see me crying over something so stupid. Outside of the bathroom door, I can see my clothes hanging in the wardrobe, taunting me with it's stupid breastplate and skirt. I don't want to wear that. Not now, not ever again.

I still have to go outside, however, and I can't run around in my pajamas. I look desperately around the room, trying to think of a way to fix this gnashing hole in my heart. Before I can think straight, I find myself crouched on the bathroom floor, hugging my chest tight as I try to hold myself together. I take one, two, three deep breaths. Think.

I spot my storage chest, which I know has some old cloth Nancy gave me yesterday in exchange for some medicinal herbs. And underneath the breastplate is the normal cloth for my shirt, so I can forgo the breastplate and wrap the cloth tightly around my chest, then wear the shirt normally over top of it. I'll still have to deal with the rest of the outfit, but at least I don't have to wear that breastplate. I feel like that chain is some kind of symbol bringing attention to my breasts. I don't know what it means and I definitely don't want to think about what it could mean. I don't want that damn breastplate anywhere near me.

I pull the cloth from the storage chest, wrapping them around myself like I watched Forte do the other night as she left the bath in order to prepare for her evening patrol. She had some special material, though. Definitely not some old cloth, but for now it will have to work.

It presses my chest down so that it is pretty much completely flat, and I can see the flat plane in the mirror as I turn to the side to admire my handiwork. I still feel somewhat uneasy, but I feel much better than I did minutes ago, even if my breasts are obscured by the cloth. At least my nipples won't be visible through the thin white cloth of the shirt. That would be even more mortifying than the breastplate itself, I think. I pull on my clothes for the day, foregoing the breastplate, leaving the white shirt to hang flat where my breastplate would normally go, and get to work on tending my field.

 

* * *

 

 

Later that morning, I run into Forte as I am running errands around the town. “Ah, Princess Frey, have you decided to take me up on my offer to go out into the forest?” Forte asked with a smile, gesturing towards my lack of a chest. “It does help keep them out of the way.”

“Now that you mention it, I have been meaning to go outside of Selphia! Kiel has been mentioning butterflies from the forest bothering some townsfolk, so I'd like to go investigate it... I think it's a duty that falls under my title, don't you?” I ask.

“Yes, I agree. It does sound concerning, that one could end up in the clinic from a seemingly harmless group of butterflies. Allow me to accompany you. Would you like to meet at 1, by the gates? That way we will have eaten a hearty meal already,” Forte asserts.

“Yes, that sounds good. I'll see you at one then, Forte. In the meantime I'll take Bado up on that free weapon,”

Bado suggests I try a longsword or a short sword for starters, but I dislike the feel of both of them when I test them out in his shop. I gravitate instead towards the spear, which puts distance between me and the monster and is also lighter to allow for more precise movements. He tells me to come pick up my spear before I head out, since he will prepare it for me before I go. I ask him to sharpen it extra good for me before I go. For lunch, I go over to Porcoline's, rather than stay in the castle. I don't want to sit and stew in my own thoughts.

I enter through Arthur's office, rather than the restaurant itself. “Good afternoon, Arthur.” I greet him with a small smile. I feel somewhat self conscious seeing him with my breasts bound, since I'm almost positive he will notice. Okay, I'm completely positive.

He's too observant to not notice that my breastplate and breasts themselves have gone missing. I just hope he won't comment on them.

His face is pouring over some documents at his desk, as usual. “Good afternoon, Miss Frey.” He waits to finish writing something before he looks up, and then graces me with a smile. “I am very sorry I haven't gotten back to you on when we will be going out for your clothing. It seems you've taken the matter into your own hands,” He says with a laugh.

Arthur and I walk over to his seating area, taking our usual seats. “Would you like a cup of tea?” He asks.

“I was going to get some lunch next door actually, so I can have some tea then. Thank you, though.” I say. My face is still a little red from his comment about my wardrobe.

“It's actually about time I eat as well. If you don't mind, would you like to eat together? We could eat in here, or go into Porcoline's restaurant if that suits you better.”

“I would like to speak to you about a couple things, so here might be better.” I say, hoping he understands that I'd prefer the privacy.

“Of course. I'll go ask Porcoline for some dishes. Is there anything you would prefer?”

“Something filling. I'm planning on going into Yokmir Forest with Forte today at one.”

His mouth flattens ever so slightly into a line, before returning to his usual friendly self. “I'll be right back, then.”

I feel like I'm going to get lectured when he comes back.

He returns with a tray of two meals and a tea set. “I hope relax tea is alright? I forgot to ask you what you prefer.”

“Yes, relax tea is fine.” I say with a smile. Volkanon had insisted I try the delicacy one evening after dinner as I relaxed in the communal parlor in the palace with Vishnal, Clorica, and him. It's quite calming, as the name suggests. Perhaps it's exactly what I need after this morning.

He pours the tea and sets our dishes in front of each of us. There's also a small tray of cookies to have with the tea. I'm a little surprised he managed to get all of this away from Porcoline without a scratch. I look at my dish and see a plate of croquettes. My stomach growls in anticipation. They're freshly fried and golden brown, and smell delicious, to boot.

On Arthur's plate is minced pickled turnips with a side of onigiri. “That's all you're having?” I ask, somewhat incredulous.

“Yes, I do love meals that are light and easy to eat. It allows me to get back to my work quickly.” He admits, blushing slightly as he sips on his tea.

“Yes, I suppose that would be important for you,” I laugh a little at his workaholic tendencies. Every time I've seen him this week he's been pouring over his paperwork. I'm still not quite sure exactly what he does with those papers, though. “Have you heard anything about when your next trip out will be? I would really like to get some new clothes... I'm sorry to pester you, but the clothes I arrived here in just don't seem right to me. They're like a shadow of what I was, before. I don't even know what that was, even, but it scares me.” I admit, wondering if I'm being a little too honest with Arthur.

He takes it in stride, though. “Ah yes, that was what I was meaning to tell you! I have to stop in a neighboring city to the capital to meet for a new trade opportunity on the10th, so if you don't mind accompanying me for that venture, we can find you some clothes and even do some sight seeing, since you haven't left Selphia since you've arrived. You can make some memories of a new place.”

“Yes, thank you, that sounds great.” I say with a genuinely wide smile. I can't wait to feel more like myself.

“I'm sorry it took me so long to get a confirmation of when we could go. My schedule is so tight right now, there isn't much wiggle room.”

“It's fine, thank you for even making the effort to help me!”

“What kind of man would I be if I didn't assist you? After all, I did ask you to take on my duty as Prince,” Arthur chuckles lightly.

“Yes, that is true,” I comment, cutting into a croquette and dipping it in some sauce.

“Though I did make you wait long enough to need to take your wardrobe into your own hands, I notice. I'm truly sorry about that! If you like, I have an extra set of clothing in my room that doesn't quite fit me, I must have packed them by mistake. It's a set of pants and a dress shirt, I am aware it's masculine, but considering your appearance today, I think perhaps that might be what you're looking for?”

“Masculine...?” I muse aloud. “I don't think I want to look masculine; I just really don't like these clothes. Especially the breastplate. It's like there's some bad feelings attached to them.”

Arthur nods, taking my words into consideration. “In that case, would you like to take a look at them? Even if they don't fit perfectly, you could of course alter them as you like, since I have no use for them.”

I nod. At the very least, I could look at them. “Yes, I'd like that.”

“Very well, would you like to go look now?” Arthur asks, standing up from our now empty plates at the table. “I must be monopolizing your time, are you free to look now?”

I look at the clock on the wall and notice I have some time before I have to meet Forte. “Don't worry, I have time.”  
He leads me upstairs to his bedroom. I haven't seen his living quarters yet, and am a bit surprised to find it's a strange dichotomy of neat and messy. His desk to the right of the door is covered in papers and charts. His bed is perfectly made, and there is a display case in the corner with glasses arranged in an exhibitionist fashion. Next to that is another table, covered in a myriad of things the likes of which I've never seen before. I instinctively reach over to pick something up. It's a piece of glass shaped in a pyramid.

“Ah, that's a prism. I use it as a paperweight for my documents. When light hits it, it creates a rainbow,” Arthur takes the prism from my hands and holds it in front of the light spilling from the window. His hand turns into a rainbow which extends down onto the floorboards. “It creates quite the pleasant sight in the daytime. Unfortunately, I'm not up here much when the sun is up, and the office downstairs doesn't get much direct sunlight.” He pouts slightly, placing the prism back on the table before he turns to his closet in the corner.

He sifts through the various clothes in his closet, which I notice holds many different types of outfits in there. I felt like he only had a few outfits, since he wears the same jacket and coat every day. His shirt and pants sometimes change color for various neutral shades, though.

“Arthur, why do you always wear that jacket? It's rather nice out in springtime, you know. It looks so heavy!”

“Does it?” He remarks, looking at his robes in question.

“It looks like you're swimming in it,” I laugh.

Without warning, Arthur unties the clasps at the front of his robes and places them on my shoulders in an almost magical sweeping motion. The robes land on my shoulders and I do indeed feel how light they are. They're enough protection from the spring wind without needing to be too hot.

“I do of course have a warmer version for cold weather, but these are made to be almost like a windbreaker, if you've heard of such a thing?” Arthur pushes up his glasses for a moment, looking at me closer. “Now that you mention it, though, I do see what you mean. You look a bit like a child playing in your parent's clothing, even accounting for the fact that they'd be large on you in the first place.” He laughs.

“Perhaps you should get them more tailored to you, Arthur.” I suggest.

“That is an excellent idea. I did not have them custom made as I usually do, after all...” He muses. “Ah, I'm sorry, that sounded positively spoiled of me.”

Arthur looks a little embarrassed and reaches for the clasp of the robes at my neck, taking them back and hanging them on a hanger for the moment. I take the time to examine his clothing, since I haven't seen his daily wear beneath his robes. His shirt is a traditional collared shirt, tan colored with a set of brown buttons going down the front. The first few buttons are left undone to create a more casual look, but he is wearing a loose maroon scarf around his neck to cover the exposed skin, the exception being a small triangle of skin peeking out beneath the scarf. His dark brown pants have a high waistline, cutting off at his stomach and are cinched tight with a cloth belt, the ends of which hangs at his side and swishes as he walks. He has brown high-heeled boots on that reach up over his shins, and his pants are tucked neatly into them. Without the large robes on, he looks very attractive.

Arthur snaps me out of examining his outfit with a somewhat embarrassing statement. “I do hope you are flattening your chest safely. If you compress your chest too tightly, you could overexert yourself and collapse,” He looks off to the side as he finishes his statement, a slight blush creeping onto his face from speaking to me about such a personal thing.

“Yes, I think so. I'm being as safe as I know how!” I laugh. “I promise I'll be careful in the forest this afternoon. I'll be taking Forte with me, so I think we will be alright.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” He smiles, clearly more relieved than he was before. “I would like you to take this with you, as well. It's a charm from the far east I received in a trade. It's supposed to protect you from danger. I'm not sure how effectively it works as

I've never needed to use it, but perhaps you can put it to use more than I can.”

He hands me the charm, a soft red pillow-like keychain about the size of half of my palm with some foreign script embroidered on it. I affix it to my belt with a smile. “Thank you, Arthur! I'm sure it will bring me good luck while I'm out in the forest this afternoon.”

“Anyway, here are the clothes I was talking about.” He pulls two hangers from the closet, laying them out on his bed for me to examine.

The shirt is significantly more formal than the one he is wearing, but looks nice enough for daily wear for someone of higher status. It's a slightly thicker, more stiff shirt, made in a nice cream color. The collar on this one is higher and has some gold embroidery on the edges of it. The pearly white buttons go down the center in a single row, and the sleeves end in french cuffs with a thick green and pink embroidery of vines and flowers.

The pants have a high waistband and are light tan with gold buttons on the front in a set of six, two rows of three. The pockets on each side have the same flower motif embroidered along the seam.

“As you can see, they're a set. It's traditionally worn with a light jacket, but I think you could make just this work for now, until we can get you some other clothing – ”

“Arthur, these are gorgeous!” I shout, surprising myself with my own excitement.

“They are just clothes, Frey.” Arthur says with a short laugh.

“Will you really give these to me? It's too much!” I say in excitement.

“Yes of course, as I said I have no use for them. I'm sorry I do not have the matching jacket for them, but if you like I can arrange to have that sent here.”

“Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble! I'm sorry I'm so enthusiastic, it's not very princess-like of me, but it's just so beautiful...” I laugh.

“Not to worry, I don't think I'm much of a prince myself.” Arthur smiles.

“Nonsense, you're the perfect gentlemen!” I gawk.

“Whatever you say, Miss Frey.” He says, bemused. “Ah, I'm sorry! I meant to ask, are you feeling alright today? Perhaps it is just the difficulty of coming to terms with your identity in general, after not knowing your past, but you seemed rather melancholy today.” He pauses in thought. “Please tell me if I am overstepping my bounds.”  
I frown, unsure of how to answer him. “No, no, you're alright, Arthur. I think I was upset by the reminder of my past life, whatever that was. And that I just have a strong gut feeling about that breast plate. And these clothes in general, to be honest. They don't feel right. They feel sinister.” I gesture towards my chest and my voice cracks on the last word as I remember the raw emotion I felt this morning. I clear my throat. “I'm just not feeling quite like myself. Though I'm not even sure who that is, to be honest.”

“I understand, I'm sure it can be difficult getting to know yourself all over again, Frey. Remember that I'm always here – if you need anything at all, anytime, don't hesitate to call upon me. Even if it's not about your duties as Princess.” Arthur's lips pull into a reassuring smile that seems like it could light up the entire room. I'm not sure if that's because he is genuinely smiling that large, or if it's because I am just so influenced by what he just said. I feel my heart tug a little at the fact that he is so willing to assist me in finding myself.

He understands that I don't want to dig into my past. He's taking me shopping, lending me his clothes, and his ears, as well. “You've done so much for me, and I've known you for barely even a week!” I say, tears welling up in my eyes.

“Ah, please don't cry! I just want to see you smile, Frey. Life is too short to focus on what we have lost.” Arthur pulls a handkerchief from his shirt pocket, handing it to me so I can wipe my eyes. Embarrassingly, I need to blow my nose, too. I point to my nose, silently asking if it is alright to ruin his handkerchief. He nods in acceptance. “You may keep it, if you like. I have many others.”

I blow my nose into it vigorously. I'm embarrassed from blowing my nose so grossly in front of him, but I do feel much better. There's an L for Lawrence embroidered on it in a fancy font, I notice, as I tuck it away in my belt.

“It's a wonder no one's found out you're really the prince,” I laugh.

“Everyone simply thinks I'm quite the affluent trader, I suppose.” Arthur joins in my laughter. “I suppose I need some help learning how to blend in.”

“If you help me dress like royalty, I'll help you dress like everyone else.” I extend my hand as though we were conducting a business transaction to close the deal.

“May our endeavors be fruitful,” Arthur says with a smile, taking my hand and shaking it.

Just as we finish our handshake, I hear the clock chime one.

“Oh no, I should get going! I don't want to keep Forte waiting.”

“Don't forget these,” Arthur says, handing me the clothing he got out of the closet for me.

“Thank you again,” A big smile blooms on my face. “I guarantee you'll see me in them tomorrow!”

I see him smile back at me as I rush down the stairs and out of Porcoline's restaurant to drop my new clothes off in my room. I keep running right past my room as I drop off my clothes, stopping at Bado's to grab my spear and sprint back to the town square to find Forte waiting, tapping her foot. I'm so out of breath I need to take a minute and rest my hands on my knees.

“You're twenty minutes late, what were you up to?” Forte asks incredulously.

“I'm sorry, I got caught up talking with Arthur over lunch,” I say, not wanting to admit that I had a slightly over-emotional afternoon.

“You got him to eat lunch with you?” Forte asks, incredulous. “Meg's been trying all week to tear him away from his work.” Forte sighs, “It's alright, Princess. Shall we get going?” She asks, brandishing her sword.  
“Yes, let's!”

I ready my spear and Forte draws her sword as we exit Selphia. Outside the gates there's nothing but some grass growing and a woolie a little bit of a ways away, snoozing lightly. “Our weapons don't actually kill any of these beasts, they are designed to send them back to the forest of beginnings. When you defeat a monster, they are instantly transported back there.” Forte explains, “Try to go hit that woolie over there.”

“But he's sleeping!” I protest.

“You need practice on hitting a target. A sleeping one is a good first try, since he's not moving.” Forte's facial expression is hard as stone, waiting for me to make my move.

With a sigh I ready my weapon, walking over to where the woolie is. I pull back my spear and strike it twice, sending it back to the forest of beginnings.

“Of course because it's a woolie, they are relatively easy to fight. The real trouble comes with the Orcs in Yokmir, so please stay on your toes.”

We wander through the plains until we come upon a thicket of trees where an opening lies. Outside some medicinal herbs are growing, so I pluck them and store them in my rucksack. We enter the forest and come upon the first Orc waiting for us in a clearing.

He charges and Forte and I split, taking him on from either side. After a few hits he's gone, and he has dropped his shield during his return to the forest of beginnings. “Excellent,” Forte grins, picking up the shield. “Take this and use it.”

I take the shield into my hands, feeling the weight of it. It's small but it will do well for deflecting enemy blows. We continue to walk into the forest when Forte stops, placing her arm out in front of me to stop me from walking. “Look!” She whispers harshly.

Above us, a small group of butterflies are flitting towards the deeper part of the forest. “I think they want us to follow them.” I whisper.

Forte nods at me, and we follow the group of butterflies. There's a group of Orcs waiting for us, and this time they have bows and arrows. Forte is literally chopping the arrows out of the sky – color me impressed – and I am utilizing my shield as protection until I can get close enough to stab at them with my spear.

The more times I use it, the better I find myself doing – I am developing a rhythm to my madness and I am learning to predict enemy attacks. We defeat the Orcs in the visible area and move on. Just as I think I'm ready to kick some Orc butt, the monsters in this area are ants instead. I can see the group of butterflies waiting in the wings to show us where to go next, but I quickly find myself getting winded trying to fight each individual ant. Forte can slash in an arc at all of the ants, but I don't think I have that kind of luxury. Sweat beads up on my brow and I focus even harder on fighting the ants. I've only gotten hit once or twice, I think, so I am in good condition health-wise.

Clearly I overestimated myself, because I faint a moment later, with only one ant left to fight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey wakes up in the clinic, having fainted from her exertions in Yokmir Forest.

I awake to sun filtering through the windows onto my cheek. A cool, damp cloth is being pressed against my forehead, and there's the sound of whispering voices around me. I take a deep breath preparing to yawn, but I find it stopped in it's tracks because breathing deeply brings a sudden, sharp pain to my chest.

I open my eyes and find myself in the clinic with a group of people around me. Nancy is changing the cloth on my forehead, and presses me back down onto the cot so I don't sit up. Forte is sitting on the cot next to me with a concerned look on her face. Kiel sits next to her, looking guilty. I look around the room and I see Jones at the foot of my bed, fiddling with some papers. He pulls a clipboard from the bottom of the bed since he notices I'm awake. Finally, across the room in a chair is Arthur; he's snoozing lightly but his eyebrows are knotted in what I can only assume to be concern. There's a stack of papers in a pile on the chair next to him.

Guilt pools in my stomach as I look up at Nancy. She stops patting at my forehead and takes the rag away, motioning for me to sit up in bed slowly. “Good morning, Princess. You gave us all quite a scare yesterday.” She admits, pouting her lower lip in motherly concern.

“Yes, you did.” Jones butts in, bringing my patient chart over on a clipboard. “Forte carried you back to the gates of Selphia after you fainted.”

“Thank you, Forte.” I say with a frown on my face, “I'm sorry if I've caused you to worry.”

“You passed out from overexertion. The bandages you had wrapped around your chest were constricting your breathing, making it difficult to breathe. The more you moved, the more the bandages tightened, until you passed out.” Jones explains, tapping his pen on the paper. “Luckily for you, there's no extensive damage. There's some bruising where the bandages cut into your sides a little too tightly, but your ribs are thankfully intact and not bruised or damaged. You're lucky you didn't break a rib and puncture your lung.”

“Puncture my lung?” I squeak in horror.

“Yes, you could have been in serious danger. Please don't attempt to do something like this again. When you use bandages in that manner, which are made to contract around a wound area, they can constrict your breathing and seriously harm you. If you intend to continue binding your chest, Forte has offered to give you one of her own compression shirts so you don't harm yourself.”

Forte stands and shows me the compression shirt in question. It's a white shirt that looks a size too small for me, made of a stretchy material. “This will flatten your chest without harming you, Princess. It's meant for sports activity and the like, perfect for fighting monsters. They make it in all of the major cities.”

“Thank you, Forte. I'm sorry I put myself in danger like that...”

“Please be more careful in the future. Everyone was so worried about you,” Nancy says with a caring smile.

“Yes indeed. I thought you said you were binding your chest carefully, Frey?” Arthur asks, apparently awake from his nap.

“I thought I was... I guess I didn't know the difference. I didn't realize they were bandages, I thought it was just old cloth.” I pout.

“It's my fault, I should have asked you how you were binding your chest. I know there's dangerous ways to do it. I will be more dutiful in protecting you in the future, Princess. If you will allow me to.” Forte apologizes.

“Forte, it's not your fault. I was just being stupid.” I reason.

“And if I hadn't opened my mouth about the butterflies, you wouldn't have wanted to go into the forest in the first place,” Kiel frowns.

I leave out the fact that I wanted to bind my chest because I didn't want to wear my breastplate and not because I wanted them out of the way while I was fighting. “Kiel, I would have eventually gone out there anyway. It's not your fault, either.”

Kiel's frown lightens up a little bit at that. I can't help but think his sister has probably been berating him all day. “Jones, when can I go home? I have to tend to my field!”

“Not to worry, Vishnal and Clorica offered to care for your crops for today. I would like to conduct another physical now that you are awake. You should be up and ready to go by this afternoon, provided I don't find anything to worry about.” Jones reassures.

“I'm sure Miss Frey would like some privacy, now. She'll be discharged soon as long as all is well, so I'm sure she will be by to see all of you later.” Nancy ushers my guests out of the clinic until it is just her, Jones, and I. Admittedly, I watched Arthur's sleeping face earnestly as Nancy awoke him and ushered him out. His face looked so peaceful while asleep.

“Okay Frey, I need you to sit up and swing your legs over the side of the bed.” Jones instructs. “I do have to remove your slip, so I apologize in advance. I would have Nancy look, but she is unfortunately not quite as versed in this area of medicine as I am.” Jones explains, shooting me a small look of pity.

Nancy helps me remove my slip by untying it in the back, letting it slide off of my shoulders. I look down and find a couple bruises in stripes cutting across my torso right underneath my breasts. They're purple and yellow, tender to the touch, but not overly painful. Jones examines me visually and presses his fingers against the bruises and along my ribcage, ensuring that nothing is broken or bruised. Nancy then pulls my slip back up and Jones listens to my breathing with a stethoscope, asking me to breathe deeply in and out, and cough a few times. This time when I breathe deeply I take it slowly, and find no pain.

“No rattling in your lungs,” He muses, “Excellent. You will be just fine, Miss Frey. Please be gentle with your chest for the next couple of days, because of the bruising. And please do not bind your chest or enter the forest today. At all. Do you understand?” Jones' face takes on a serious look as he asks me.

“Yes, I understand.” I say.

“Good. Don't ever bind your chest with anything other than this, alright?” He says, pointing towards the compression shirt Forte gave me. “It's not good for your health.” Jones admonishes.

“Yes, sir.” I mock salute.

He laughs a little. “You may rest here until you feel good enough to return home. I recommend nothing more than light activity for today. Please allow Vishnal and Clorica to finish your fieldwork for you today; you can return to it tomorrow.” He looks at Nancy and they exchange words with merely expressions. “Since today is your first visit – and hopefully your last – it's on the house.”

I sigh visibly in relief. I don't have a lot of money right now. All of my profits are coming from turnips and toyherb flowers, which isn't much.

“Thank you,” I say with a big smile.

“No problem dear. Your friends are all quite concerned about you. Everyone in town stopped in at least once. Forte and Arthur both stayed overnight to watch over you. I assured them it was nothing serious, but they wanted to stay anyway,” Nancy laughs like a young girl. “It was quite cute! You should have seen the pouts on their faces. I think together, they were worried enough for the whole town.” We both laugh even louder at that.

“Ah, before I forget. When you go home, Lady Ventuswill would like to see you, Princess.” Jones reminds me.

 

I enter Venti's chambers with a sigh. I know she's going to berate me for not being careful.

“Ah, she lives!” Venti says sarcastically, folding her wings on her sides.

“I'm sorry I wasn't more careful, Venti.” I say, my head hung low in shame.

“And here I thought you were going to be the perfect person to send into Yokmir,” Venti muses quietly to herself.

“I am! I just fainted because I was stupid and wasn't being careful. I'm gonna go back tomorrow or maybe the next day...” 

“That doesn't sound like a good reason,” Venti furrowed her brows together in confusion.

“It's because I bound my chest wrong,” I admit.

“You bound your chest? Why would you do that?” Venti asks.

My lips contort into a frown. Do I tell her why I really wanted to do it? “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

“Not a soul.” Venti smiles.

She really is a good friend. “I bound my chest because I couldn't stand to wear my breastplate. I think it's evil or something. Everyone thought it was because I was going into the forest, though. I did it with bandages instead of some special shirt that Forte uses, so I fainted because the bandages tightened around my chest and I couldn't breathe.” I explain.

“Everyone except Arthur thought you were doing it because you were entering the forest.” Venti corrected me.

“How do you know about that?!” I ask, flabbergasted.

“Give the boy some credit! He was concerned about you. He came to me last night after he heard that you had fainted and told me everything.”

I frown. “You liar. You just wanted me to admit it to you myself. Did he tell anyone else?”

“No, just me. He wouldn't betray your trust like that, Frey.” Venti explains. 

I sigh in relief. I don't really want anyone else knowing about that. It was already pretty embarrassing admitting it to Arthur and having that awkward conversation about him thinking I wanted to be a boy.

“He wants to make sure you aren't trying to hurt yourself. Did you know those bandages would hurt you?” Venti's stance changes into the authoritative Native Dragon that I know so well.

“Honestly, I didn't know... I thought it was just cloth. I probably could have made a smarter decision and found a different way to deal with it, but I was just so upset yesterday morning I had to do something and that was all I had.” I explain.

Venti sighs in exasperation. “I suppose I can't do anything about your plain idiocy,” she laughs, “but I can tell you to be more careful. How do you feel now? Do you feel like you can't wear your breastplate?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I'd burn the thing if I could.” I say, shaking my head. I've been covering up my breasts with my arms on the way back to the castle because I don't have a bra, and the white of my shirt is see-through. Here with Venti, though, I don't really care if she sees.

“So what will you do about clothes today?” Venti asks.

“I'm not sure. Arthur gave me some clothes, but I have to alter them, and I think my breasts might be see-through through that without a bra, too...” 

“What lead to that chain of events?” Venti snickered.

“I-It's not like that! He just offered them to me because I was clearly upset about only having the clothes I came here in to wear...” I explain.

“Hmm... I'll have Volkanon get you some undershirts you can wear while you heal. In the future, please be more careful, Princess.” Venti finishes, becoming business-like at the end because Volkanon walked in at that moment. 

“Ah, Princess Frey, you are out of the clinic! We were all very worried about you. I will bring you lunch at 12 in your room, so you don't need to come find me. Please relax today so as not to stress yourself.” Volkanon finishes his sentence by wiping at his eyes, trying not to weep. “Jones said I am not allowed to hug you today, so please excuse me!” He runs off back into the butler's quarters before he can't help himself.

Venti calls Volkanon back into the room in order to tell him to get me some shirts, and then I retire back to my room. Inside, I find flowers by my bed. They're from Illuminata, wishing me well. I smile fondly at them and assess the rest of my room. In my refrigerator there's fresh produce from my harvest today that I'm assuming Clorica and Vishnal put in there for me. I count out how many I want to keep and how many I want to sell, and carry the remainder outside to the shipping bin. I examine my field while I'm outside and notice that it is indeed nicely watered and cared for. All of the weeds are plucked, too.

“Princess, I hope you aren't thinking about farming in your condition,” Vishnal scolds me, exiting the butler's quarters. “Clorica and I already finished your fieldwork for you today,” He says with a smile.

“Yes I noticed, thank you! You two did a great job,” I say gratefully.

“We just want you to recover quickly, Princess! Everyone was so worried about you.”

“I'm sorry about worrying you,” I apologize, “I didn't mean to push myself too hard.”

“It's okay Princess, just be more careful next time.” Vishnal's infectious smile runs from ear to ear, causing me to smile too and erupt into a fit of giggles. “What's so funny, Princess?!”

Vishnal's alarmed state just makes me giggle even more. “You're so earnest, Vishnal. It's a very good quality to have!”

“Well, thank you, I guess!”

“You're welcome. By the way, is Clorica free? I wanted to know if she had a sewing kit...”

“Yes, she should be in her room! She might be napping, but don't be afraid to wake her.”

“That girl gets plenty of sleep as it is,” I joke.

I hear Vishnal laughing as I enter Clorica's room in the butler's quarters.

“Clorica?” I shake her shoulder gently. She's sleeping standing up, holding a broom.

“Hmm?”

“Do you have a sewing kit? And do you happen to know how to alter clothes to make them fit you? I don't think I know much about sewing.” I admit sheepishly.

“I can help you, Princess,” Clorica says, waking slowly from her slumber. “It's a little more complicated than you think, so we should work on it together!”

“I won't be taking up time for you to do your job, will I?”

“My job is always to assist you, silly!” Clorica smiles. “Not that I mind it.”

“Thank you, Clorica.”

We walk into my room and I show her the shirt and pants.

“Ooh, how elegant! Very befitting of royalty! Where did you get those?”

“Uh, Arthur gave them to me... I'm not quite sure where they came from,” My face turns pink as I fib, not wanting to reveal that they're Arthur's clothes for fear of hinting that he's the royalty here, not me.

“He must have gotten them in a trade,” Clorica muses.

“Yes, that's probably where they came from.” I nod. That sounds good.

“Okay, you should put them on so we can see where they need to be altered.”

Once in the clothing, I tuck in the shirt to look at it in the mirror. The pants are several inches too long, which was expected considering they're Arthur's. The waistline only needs to be taken in a little, and the fit of the legs is perfect, allowing room for my thighs and butt, considering of course that they're curvier than the average man's. The straight cut of the leg lends me more of a masculine figure, making my heart skip a beat. It looks extremely flattering, making me look taller.

The top's sleeves are a little long, and needs to be taken in some to fit me properly. Otherwise, all is well. The collar fits remarkably well against my throat, to my relief. I don't know how we would have fixed that.

Clorica examines the outfit, instructing me to pull out the shirt from inside the pants so she can start pinning. “Since there's some embroidery along the hem of the pants and we want to preserve that, I'll have to cut them at the knee or the shin and then sew it back together. A machine would be better suited for that. I'll do my best to make it not as noticeable.”

As she's pinning the fabric together so it falls at the right place on my feet, I watch her practiced fingers. She really knows what she's doing. “As for the shirt, do you want to keep the cut it has now? Or do you want a more feminine one to hug your curves?”

“I think a little tighter to hug my curves would be nice. It'll help break up how straight the pant legs are,” I smile down at her as she continues pinning along my back to create two darts up the backside. For the sleeves, she has me hold my arm out straight and unfolds the cuff, pinning the extra fabric underneath the cuff so the sew line won't be visible – it will be flush with the beginning of the french cuffs. 

She places two bits of metal in my hands as she unfolds the french cuffs. “Here's your cufflinks,” she says. They were attached to the french cuffs in a small cloth bag tied through the open buttonhole.

I examine them closely, not having noticed them before. It's a set of pinkish white opals inlaid in gold. Expensive is the first word that comes to mind. I have to return these to Arthur. He can't have meant to give them to me. I place them on my bedside table for safekeeping in the meantime. 

Clorica is finished pinning rather quickly, and I gingerly step out of the clothes, careful not to loosen any of the pins she painstakingly placed. 

She takes the clothes from me and after I've changed (now with an undershirt), I look at her expectantly. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Unfortunately not much, since you don't know how to sew... But you can watch and learn!” Clorica smiles. “Come with me.”

I follow her into the butler's quarters into their laundry room. In the corner is a mending station of sorts, with a large sewing machine. It's black and somewhat terrifying, to be honest. She sits in the chair at the machine and motions for me to join her. 

“First you pick the thread that best matches your material. You must thread it through the machine so the top threads and the bottom threads match, in this case. When you sew, the machine punches through the fabric and locks the threads together...”

She continues to explain, and pulls a piece of scrap fabric to show me how it works. She even lets me give it a try, practicing lines and corners and double stitching over the ends to finish my work. “When you're done, always lift the foot and pull the fabric a little to pull some thread out. Then cut the thread close to the stitching. Never go too fast, especially when you're still learning.”

I nod, taking in the information. She does some extra fancy stitchwork, cutting the pant legs in two (I wince a little at this – such beautiful pants!) and then sews the shortened pieces back together while inside out. Then she takes an iron she had warming and presses the seams apart, creating a flat seam. It's barely noticeable, but Clorica takes it a step farther and shows me an idea she has. She holds up some lace appliques that closely match the design on the lower half of the pants. It would go on the sides of the knees where the seam is, and then pull into the middle some to distract from the seam line. It looks amazing, and she helps me hand-stitch the lace onto the pants so they will stay firmly. Once I have a handle on that, she moves on to the shirt while I continue to sew on the lace.

When we're finished, we realize it's two o'clock and we had worked through lunch.

“Clorica, I kept you from lunch! I'm sorry!” I run back to my quarters with Clorica following me, and I pull a plate of pickled turnips from my fridge. “It's not much, but it's all I have...” I say, frowning.

She laughs at me, right in my face. “Is my cooking that bad?” I frown.

“No, it seems that Volkanon has left us lunch. You don't have to be so upset.” Clorica explains, pointing to the tray on my table with two bento boxes. 

We sit side by side on my bed, enjoying our late lunch after all of that work. “Thank you for helping me, Clorica. My clothes look so pretty! I can't wait to wear them tomorrow.” I smile.

“I look forward to seeing you wear them! They're very beautiful,” She agrees with a smile. 

After we finish our late lunch, Clorica returns to her duties and I set out to thank everyone for their concern over me, and to assure them that I'm alright. 

 

Illuminata is surprisingly sweet, though I'm not sure if we are always on the exact same page. As I leave her flower shop, I hear her saying she'll catch whoever made me faint and make them pay...

Xiao Pai and Lin Fa remind me to come by tonight for a bath. They've already decided to use aloe and some healing herbs for the scented bath tonight, to promote a quick recovery for me. I can't help but blush at their generosity. 

When I stop at Bado's smithy, he shoves a lightweight set of leather armor in my arms, telling me to be more careful. Then he pushes me out of the shop like nothing happened. Bado's bashful generosity is surprisingly endearing. Afterwards, I stop in Forte's house to find her and Kiel inside. Kiel is reading a book, and Forte is enjoying a midday nap.

“Keil,” I whisper, entering his bedroom. He looks up from his book to me in the doorway. 

“Miss Frey, I'm glad you're feeling better.” He says with a smile.

“Me too, thank you for your concern. I hope you don't still feel like my fainting was your fault. Forte can be overbearing sometimes, it seems...” I laugh a little.

“Yeah, I know.” Kiel looks over to the side of the house where her bedroom is, thinking for a moment. “She means well, though.”

“Yes, she does.” I smile, “Tell her I really appreciate her helping me. I don't want to wake her. And that I'd like to return to the forest tomorrow, for a rematch.” 

“Only if you're up to it! Don't push yourself too hard,” Kiel reminds me.

“Yes yes, I will be careful. Don't worry,” I reassure him.

“Whatever you say, Princess.” Kiel rolls his eyes, returning to his book. “I'll see you later. I'll tell Forte you stopped by.”

 

I stop in Sincerity General Store to pick up some more seeds and see Granny Blossom and Doug. Doug seems standoffish, almost, warning me not to return to the forest at all. I brush him off, telling him that someone has to do something about it. He scowls at me as I leave.

“Jeez, what's up his butt...” I grumble, walking up the street to Porcoline's Restaurant.

Porcoline's is empty when I enter, save for Meg and Porcoline himself. Meg is humming to herself on the piano, but stops when she notices I've entered.

“Oh, Frey, you're alright! Everyone was so worried!” She runs over and hugs me gently, careful not to hurt me.

“Yes, I've been hearing that all day,” I laugh awkwardly, “Thank you for worrying about me, Meg.”

“You better be more careful from now on!” She pouts, wagging her finger at me.

“Yes, ma'am.” I joke.

Meg smiles and wraps her arms around me once more, truly glad that I am okay. I hug her back, letting my hands rest in her soft hair. She has a relaxing scent about her that makes me smile.

Porcoline rushes over shortly after, pushing me into a chair and forcing a plate of food into my face even though I'd just eaten. “It's important to build back up your strength after fainting! Make sure you eat everything on the plate!”

It's a massive dish of seafood doria, piping hot from the oven with the fried egg on top still glistening with the oil from the pan. “Porcoline, I just ate, I can't possibly eat all of this – ”

“Ah ah ah! Take a bite and see how delicious it is! You'll change your mind!” I sigh and take a bite, knowing I won't win a fight with Porcoline over food.

It is delicious, but I can only eat a few bites before I'm completely full. “I'm sorry Porcoline, but I can't eat any more.” I say, frowning.

“Not to worry, I can!” He opens his mouth, and when I look back down at the plate the food is gone. “Come back for dinner Frey darling, I will feed you a feast!” 

“I have no doubt that you will, Porcoline. Thank you,” I laugh. 

Meg rolls her eyes and takes the empty plates back to the kitchen, bidding me a goodbye for now.

I walk over to Arthur's office next door, knocking on the door first. 

“Come in,” He chimes through the door.

“Hi, Arthur!” I say, hoping to keep the mood light. I am honestly a bit worried he is going to lecture me. “I brought you pickled turnips, as a thank you for watching over me last night.”

“It was nothing, really. I was able to get plenty of work done while at the clinic last night, so it worked out well for the both of us.” He reaches for the plate of pickled turnips, a small smile gracing his features. “You remembered I like these. Thank you.”

“They're also the first thing Porcoline taught me to cook, since turnips were the only ingredient I had! So I'm a pro at pickled turnips, now.” I say triumphantly.

“I'll be the judge of that.” He jokes, setting the dish to the side to be eaten later. “On a more serious note, Frey, I hope you spoke to Lady Ventuswill today?”

“Yes, I stopped by on my way back from the clinic. I can't believe you told her about our conversation, Arthur.” I look down at the floor, embarrassed as I recall Venti and I's conversation earlier.

“I'm sorry for breaching your privacy, Princess. I was under the impression that you might have been lying to me about binding safely, and were intending to harm yourself... Is it not common knowledge that bandages tighten around wounds? That's why we use them.” He reasoned.

“I thought that it was just thin strips of cloth, honestly... I didn't realize they were bandages until Nancy explained that to me.” I frown. “I'm sorry for worrying you, Arthur.”

“Well, nothing can be done about a mistake of fact, I suppose.” Arthur placed his hand on his chin, thinking. “Promise you'll use that compression shirt Forte gave you from now on, if you must bind your chest again. I don't need to be up all night worried about you again...” He trailed off.

“See, I knew I inconvenienced you!” I accuse, pointing my finger across the desk at him.

“Ah, did I say that aloud?” His cheeks turn a light pink and I giggle at his embarrassment, because I've already had my moment of embarrassment today.

“Clorica helped me alter your clothes today, they look really good! I'll show you them tomorrow before I return to Yokmir.”

“You intend on returning to the forest so soon after you just injured yourself?” He lowers his glasses at me incredulously.

“I only fainted because of the bandages. I'm confident that without them I'll be even better than before!” I flex my biceps for comedic effect, but he doesn't seem to think it's all that funny.

Arthur sighs deeply, looking at his star-shaped notepad for a moment before looking back at me. “Let me come with you tomorrow. I can come at about three.”

“What?”

“I know some offensive and defensive magic. I can be there to assist you and Forte. Not to mention it will give me some peace of mind to see you in action, to know that you aren't actually just flinging your weapon around...”

My mouth drops open at his accusations. “You don't think Forte would tell you if I wasn't any good?” 

“Well, you are the Princess, and she probably thinks she can handle anything you can't – which could be very well true, she is a skilled knight. It's entirely possible that she could be covering for you.”

“Fine then. I'll see you at three, and you will see how good I am with a spear!”

Arthur laughs lightly, closing his eyes and shaking his head at me. “I look forward to it, Princess.”

I clench my fist in anger at him. He just riled me up so he could come with me... “Oh, before I forget! These are yours. I think you forgot to take them off of the shirt when you gave it to me.” I hand him the pair of cufflinks in their little cloth bag.

He opens the cloth bag and lets the pair of cufflinks fall out onto his palm. “Oh no, they were tied to the shirt because they're the matching set. Please do take them and wear them with it.”

“But they look expensive! Aren't they made of gold? I'd feel guilty taking them.”

“I have no use for them anyway, since I am but a mere trader, remember?” Arthur winks at me before continuing, “Please wear them and assert your role as Princess.”

I sigh in defeat. “Well if you ever need them back, just let me know. I promise I'll take really good care of them – ”

“Please relax, Frey. It's quite alright. They're yours to do with as you please.”

I nod, bowing my head slightly in thanks. “Thank you, Arthur. You're really too generous to me...”

“That's my job, to make sure you're comfortable as Princess.” Arthur said bluntly. He pauses, probably suddenly realizing what he said could come off as somewhat rude. “Not to say that I don't enjoy helping you, because I do. I think of you as a very dear friend, Frey.” He elaborates, scratching the side of his head in a nervous tick.

“And I of you, Arthur.” I smile. “Should I leave you to your work?”

“Yes, I think that would be best. Thank you again for the pickled turnips.”

“If you like them, I'll bring them around more often!” I say cheerily.

“I'm sure I'll love them. Please close the door on your way out,” He says, looking back down at his papers.

As I shut the door, I see him lift the wrapping on the plate of pickled turnips and begin to pick at them with chopsticks while multitasking with his other hand. He hums in appreciation and continues to eat them.

I smile to myself the whole way home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey returns to Yokmir Forest with the help of Forte and Arthur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of filler before Frey heads off to the capital with Arthur.

 

I rise before Vishnal normally wakes me up at six, buzzing with excitement. The sun is not up yet but I take the time to carefully pull my hair back into it's two ponytails and brush my bangs back tight against my skull, tying them back using the pink ribbon tied around the vase of flowers Illuminata left me. As I pull my clothes for the day from my closet, Vishnal walks into my room, prepared to wake me.

“Ah, you're already up! Good morning, Princess!”

“Good morning Vishnal!” I say cheerily.

“I'm not late, am I?” He asks nervously, looking for a clock in my room.

“No no, I just woke up early. I'm so excited to go into Yokmir Forest today and investigate the butterflies that I just couldn't sleep any longer!”

“Well I wish you luck in your endeavors. Just remember to be careful, Princess.”

“Of course I will, after all of that mess.” I say, referring to my fainting the day before yesterday.

Vishnal exits my quarters and I change into my clothes for the day. My bruises are beginning to fade , though they are still tender to the touch. I put on an undershirt before my shirt, aware of my ban on compression shirts and bras still being in place.

When I slip on the collared shirt, I'm overcome by a strong scent. It must be Arthur's. I can't put a finger on it exactly, but it smells like a combination of musk and vanilla that I can't help but breathe in once more. I quickly button up my collared shirt, trying not to think too much about how today I must smell like him, and place the cufflinks into the french cuffs. When I do, I forget about that and I feel almost powerful. Like a true Princess. This is the first time I think I've ever actually felt like I could live up to what I'm supposed to be doing.

I tuck the dress shirt into the pants and admire myself in the full length mirror. My hair and eyes match the spring theme of the outfit impressively nicely, and the opals in the cufflinks shift and change color in the light as I experiment moving my arms in the mirror. There's no strange breastplate anywhere in sight, and I feel like I'm finally in control of my appearance.

 

* * *

 

 

I work harder in the field than I normally do, planting new seeds and caring for my currently growing ones. Some potatoes are ready for harvest and I ship them immediately, not knowing any recipes yet for potatoes.

I get breakfast from Volkanon, a warm buttered croissant with a cup of tea. I sit and drink the tea with him, and he tells me how he likes my new outfit. I smile and say I like it too.

I carry the remains of my croissant with me to catch up with Venti, who is awake and in her usual place in the castle. “Look at you, looking all regal! Like a real Princess!” Venti's shocked voice raises in pitch as she takes in my outfit.

“Do a twirl for me! You look great. Were those really Arthur's clothes?” Venti asks, incredulous.

I spin slowly for her so she can admire the clothes. “Yeah, it's hard to believe.” I laugh, “Clorica helped me tailor them. Well, she tailored them. But I sewed on the lace here!” I say, pointing to just below my knees where the lace is sewn on.

“It is indeed. I'm impressed! Don't let all the attention you're sure to get go to your head.”

“And become as self-absorbed as you? Not a chance!” I joke, munching on my croissant as we chat.

Venti snorts at my comment and shoos me off to do my Princess duties.

It's still early and I already want to leave for Yokmir, but I can't go until three o'clock when Arthur is ready. To pass the time, I fish for a couple of hours. I catch a bunch of small fish, and a few large ones. I bring them by Porcoline's, to see if he knows anything I can cook with them.

“Not with just that cooking table you've got, unfortunately. But with a knife and a cooking license, you can make plenty of sashimi! And with that salmon, you can make salmon onigiri if you grill it. If you'd like, I can grill it for you so you can practice?”

“As long as you don't eat it, Porco...” I warn him, giving him my best stink eye.

“By the way, I love your outfit today, Miss Frey! You look positively regal!” Porco hands over the grilled salmon and I pay him for the knife he mentioned, as well as a few loafs of cooking bread.

I spend the rest of my morning cleaning and slicing the raw fish, turning it into plates of delicate sashimi. I wrap them all and place them into the refrigerated shipping bin for tomorrow's shipment, since I've never made them before. I have two duplicates of cherry salmon sashimi so I bring them with me over to Forte's house to give to her and Kiel for lunch. Forte accepts the sashimi graciously, but Kiel frowns a little bit at the dish of uncooked fish.

“I really appreciate that you made this for me, Frey, but I really don't like sashimi... Just so you know, I love sweets!”

I look down at my shoes, embarrassed. “I'm sorry, Kiel. I'll try to remember that. Remember to eat things other than sweets, though!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He laughs, scratching the back of his head.

While I'm there I tell Forte of our plan to meet at three o'clock with Arthur to leave. She doesn't seem all that surprised that Arthur wanted to make sure I can fight, but she is a little skeptical as to whether or not he can actually hold his own out in the fields.

Back in my room, I practice cooking some more and make some fruit sandwiches, as well as the salmon onigiri with the grilled salmon Porcoline cooked for me. When I finish I realize I'm quite famished, so I take a break and eat two of the fruit sandwiches I made.

I put the remaining dishes into my refrigerator, organizing everything on the shelves. As I go to put away the salmon onigiri, I frown, thinking how I won't eat it myself since, after tasting it while making the onigiri, I realized I don't like cooked salmon much. I remember Arthur telling me he loves things that are light and easy to eat. Onigiri are the very definition of that, so I carry the onigiri over to Arthur's office, even though it's a little bit after lunchtime. Knowing him, he hasn't eaten yet.

“Hi, Arthur!” I say, forgetting to knock as I enter his office.

He looks up from his papers at his desk, mildly startled. “Oh blast, is it three already?” He jumps up from his chair, gathering his things together and attempting to straighten his desk in lightning speed.

“Arthur, relax, it's not three yet.”

“What?” He whirls around, confused and somewhat dazed.

His glasses are askew on his nose, so with a giggle, I cross the room and straighten them for him. “I just came by to bring you some lunch, in case you haven't eaten yet. I don't have much to do today until three, so I've been practicing in the kitchen.”

“Oh,” He begins, letting his breathing return to normal. “I actually haven't eaten yet, so I truly appreciate your gesture.” Arthur's face relaxes into that easy smile he uses with everyone.

“It's salmon onigiri. I remember you said you like things that are light and easy to eat, so I hope you enjoy this, too! I thought it would be easy to eat while you work.” I lift up the plate of several onigiri, diagonal strips of nori swathing the bottoms for easy holding. At the tops of the triangles, I cut out little faces making cute expressions out of the nori.

“Salmon onigiri is one of my favorite dishes! Thank you, truly. And these little faces, they're so cute!” Arthur pulled the plate of onigiri closer to his face so he could examine my handiwork. “I know they'll be positively delicious, though I almost feel bad eating such cute food...”

He places a finger on his chin, thinking. Is he really debating whether or not to eat it?

As the room grows silent, it is interrupted by a growling noise coming from Arthur's stomach. “Ah, I suppose that's my cue. I should really get back to work. I will eat these as I work; I anticipate they will be quite delicious! Thank you very much, Miss Frey. I'll meet you and Forte at the Selphia gates at three o'clock sharp.” Arthur turned and walked back to his desk, placing the plate of onigiri on his desk and unwrapping it as I exited.

I frown a little as I exit. He did not comment on my – well, his – outfit. He was very busy though, so perhaps he didn't notice. Pushing my disappointment away about the prince for now, I retire to my room for a nap before it's time to go out to Yokmir. Vishnal agrees to wake me when it's time, and I drift off to dreamland.

I dream of myself, fighting through Yokmir forest in a military style jacket with epaulettes and knee-high boots with a short heel to them. I finish off a horde of monsters and turn to Forte, who pumps her fist and whoops in celebration. “Great job, Princess Frey!”

I wake with a start, to Vishnal gently shaking my shoulder. “It's time to wake up, Princess!” Vishnal says with a smile. “Be careful in the forest, today.”

I walk out to the town gates with my new leather armor equipped and some extra food packed. I also have a couple of health potions, just in case of emergency, that were dropped off at the castle by Jones sometime today. He must have been concerned.

“Princess, try not to overdo it today.” Forte says as I meet up with her at the town gates.

I roll my eyes, spinning my spear around like a baton a safe distance away from her. “I will be _fine_. Please don't think of yourself as my personal bodyguard today. Apparently Arthur wanted that job.” I scoff. I can't believe they don't think I can handle myself.

Arthur meets up with us a second later, not dressed any different than usual, but carrying a silver rod in one hand, his notebook in the other. “Arthur, you couldn't leave the notebook at home?” I joke.

“This is actually a different one. I keep a log of magical tomes and spells in here. It should prove to be helpful on the battlefield.” He corrected me cheerily, not one bit offended by my statement.

“Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were too addicted to your work to leave it at home.” I apologize.

“It's a reasonable assumption to make, it's quite alright. The salmon onigiri was exceptional, by the way. Thank you wholeheartedly.”

“You're welcome! I'm glad you liked it.”A smile blooms on my face.

“And you're wearing your new clothes! They look dashing, Frey.” He winks at me and my heart skips a beat. I wasn't expecting that.

“Ah-hem.” Forte clears her throat, and Arthur and I both turn our attention to her.

“My sincerest apologies, Forte. Let's stop making small talk and get going, shall we?” Arthur extends a hand, motioning for us to go first.

I take lead of the pack, feeling confident.

We breeze through the portion of Yokmir that Forte and I had already gone through, with the two of us knowing where to go and what to do already and added backup with Arthur casting spells. We continue to make steady progress through the ants that caused me to faint, coming to another clearing with butterflies. We follow them and come to an area with a bunch of beetles, which are almost the same size as an average human. They look quite grotesque and terrifying, to be honest. We three make quick work of them, and I salvage some ores I find along the edge of the way. There's some amethyst and iron, but nothing else.

The butterflies have all gathered into one large mass, waiting for us at what seems to be an entry way to a clearing in the forest. “I think we should all enter with our guard up,” Arthur warns, looking at the entrance with a calculated gaze.

“I agree. Whenever you're ready, Princess.”

I lead our group into the clearing, where we find a closed in area with a chrysalis in the center. We attack it, assuming it is a monster of some sort, and then it starts to shake violently.

Arthur yanks my arm roughly, pulling me back behind him as the creature shakes. He shoots me a look so as to say not to argue with me on what he just did.

Forte takes on a similar protective stance, putting distance between us and the monster. Suddenly it bursts from it's cocoon, and a butterfly woman emerges. She lets out a feral screech and begins to attack us, using a combination of the butterflies from the clearing and some type of sonic waves. Arthur remains at a distance, shooting fire balls at the monster. When he notices that I'm about to get in close to attack, he casts a light spell on me to give me some added defense.

I go in with my spear, stabbing at the monster's midsection. She screeches in response, causing me to drop my spear and fall to my knees, covering my ears. Forte steps in between the monster and I, slicing at it with her longsword. This gives me enough time to grasp my spear in my hands once more, charging it up for a stronger attack and stabbing the monster once more. The three of us continue to attack until we notice her attacks getting more erratic, the monster getting madder as it seems to be reaching it's dying breath.

I decide to try a new skill I was thinking of doing, by using my spear in an unconventional way. I take my spear and slice at the monster, scratching her as if it were a sword in a downward motion, then taking that momentum I gained to stab her and swat once more, backing her up from me by using the side of the spear. I do this twice more and notice Forte and Arthur have both stopped attacking.

The monster falls and her body erodes away. Forte lets out a battle cry of success and I do the same. Arthur claps, congratulating the both of us on a good job.

We look back down at the monster's body and find it gone, a young girl in it's place. She's laying down in the grass, seemingly asleep. A moment later, her eyes open and she jumps up into a standing position. “You have a funny face!” She shouts, pointing at me. She babbles for a moment, speaking about butterflies and wondering how long she's been asleep. Then, as quickly as she woke, she sleeps once more.

“Did that monster turn into a girl?” I ask, confused. “I thought you said all monsters just go back to the forest of beginnings, Forte?”

“Yes, I've never heard of anything like this...” Forte trails off.

“It is strange indeed. It would be wise to take her with us to the clinic and have her examined.”

I take the young girl into my arms. She's surprisingly light, so I wrap her arms around my neck and lay her head on my shoulder. She stirs some, and wraps her legs around my torso so she's holding me like a koala. I wrap one hand securely around her back and the other on her bottom, and we begin the walk back to Selphia.

I have to admit it's fun watching Arthur and Forte protect the girl and I from the monsters as we return to Selphia. It's like I have my own pair of knights.

 

* * *

 

 

We enter the clinic with the girl snoozing on my shoulder, and I lay her down on one of the cots. Jones is in the corner, mixing some medicine. “Who's this? Is she alright?” He asks, coming over to our small group.

“We found her after defeating a particularly tough monster in Yokmir Forest.” I explain.

“It appears she might have been trapped inside the monster, or it turned into her somehow...” Arthur elaborates for me.

“I'll be sure to run some tests and make sure she is alright. Thank you for bringing her all the way here.” He pauses, looking at the girl's small form and spring green hair, similar in color to mine. “I'll take it from here.”

Arthur, Forte and I gather just outside of the clinic's doors. “I hope she's alright,” Forte frowns, “I'm sorry, Princess, but I must be going on town watch now. Thank you both for your hard work.” She nods to both of us and walks down the pathway, ready to protect the town. She's so hardworking, it's unbelievable.

“You exceeded my expectations today, Frey. In fact, I'm truly sorry for doubting your abilities. It's clear that you know what you're doing.” Arthur gives me one of his small smiles, talking as we walked back towards the town square.

“Thank you, Arthur. Does that mean you won't be joining us on trips into Selphia's plains any more?” I ask.

“Well actually, I had quite a bit of fun. It was nice to get some physical activity in as well, since most of my time is spent indoors...” He admits, “If you ever need a partner, provided I'm not too busy, I'd very much like to accompany you again.”

“I'll keep that in mind!” I say with a grin. “I know we were supposed to go out to the capital tomorrow, but do you think we should still go after we found that girl? I feel somewhat responsible... I don't want to leave her all alone.”

“Why don't you check with Lady Ventuswill? I'm sure she can make sure the girl is well taken care of. Especially considering this town's track record with strangers, I'm sure she would be fine until we can get back.”

“Yeah, you're probably right.” I nod. “What time are we meeting tomorrow?”

“I'd like to be on the airship at nine hundred hours. Is that enough time for you to care for your farm and such the morning?”

I think of the chores I have to do and the hour I usually finish, and I conclude that I should have plenty of time to do that and still be able to stop in the clinic to check on the girl before I have to go in the morning. “Yes, that should be plenty of time.”

“Excellent. I'll see you then, Frey.”

“See you, Arthur.”

We part ways and I enter Venti's chambers, excited to hear what she thinks about why a little girl appeared in such a dangerous place.

“A young girl, you say?” Venti perks up as I tell her what happened.

“Yes. We think she might have been the monster! Is that possible?” I ask, looking up at her face. It's funny, because a week ago I was terrified at the sight of her. Now nothing but warm, friendly feelings surface when I look into her eyes.

“Frey, did you know that you're an Earthmate?”

“A what?”

Venti sighs and rolls her eyes like she should've figured that I'm a complete idiot. “An Earthmate. There are those who are able to commune with the earth on a deeper level than most. You are one of those people. That's probably why you've taken to farming so quickly. It's also why when you defeated that monster, that girl appeared.”

“So I have the ability to turn monsters into people?” I ask, confused.

“Not really. You can, however, break spells cast by other Earthmates. I can only assume that means that she was under some sort of spell, and you saved her.”

“So not every monster I defeat will turn into a person.”

“No,” Venti laughs.

“Good.” I sigh in relief. “Do you think she'll be okay? The girl?” I ask.

“I'm sure she'll be just fine, she's in good hands.” Venti assures me.

“Yeah, you're right. I'm just worried because Arthur is taking me out of town tomorrow, I don't want to be too far away from her... What if something happens?”

“You don't have to worry, Frey. I'll take care of everything here.” She pauses and a coy look passes over her features, “So Arthur is _taking you out_ , huh? What lead to _that_? First the clothes, now a date?” Venti snickers.

“It is _not_ a date!” I blush, covering my cheeks with my hands. “He's taking me to get new clothes.” I say.

“I find it kind of funny that you dislike your clothes so much. Surely you liked it before you arrived here in Selphia, if you chose to wear them.” Venti remarks.

“Maybe I didn't choose to wear them at all. Maybe I was in a slave labor camp and I was forced to wear those clothes – ”

“Oh, come off it!” Venti laughs. “You were probably just a normal rural girl who farmed and fought the occasional rogue monster. You probably wore that breastplate because it showed off your assets to the neighbor boys.”

“Quit teasing me!” I puff out my cheeks and give her a raspberry by blowing my tongue.

“Yeah, alright. Have fun on your date tomorrow with Arthur!” She calls out as I leave the chamber, choosing to ignore her comment.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Frey are on their way to Celsa, but first they make a stop for Arthur to do some business.

I awaken with a jittery spring in my step, eagerly anticipating the day ahead of me. Vishnal even comments on it, saying it's lovely to see me so chipper in the morning. When I let him know I'll be out of town, he's a little shocked.

“You're leaving, Princess?!” Vishnal's voice almost raises to a shout.

“I'll be back by this evening at the latest, Vishnal, don't worry. I'm going to get some new clothes.” I explain.

“Your clothes look lovely, though.” Vishnal pouts, “I don't know why you don't like them,”

I make a face, thinking of that horrid outfit that gives me such an awful feeling. They're buried in the bottom of my closet, now that I have Arthur's clothes to wear. “I don't even know where to begin. They were hideous!” I say. He frowns slightly.

“Well, I still think they looked nice! You always look nice, Princess.” Vishnal compliments me, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

“Thank you, Vishnal. I'd better get ready for the day.” I say with a grin.

“Yes, of course! Have a safe trip, Princess!” He says, retreating back to his side of the castle.

 

As I get dressed for the day in the clothes Arthur gave me, I pack the bra Volkanon had given me in my rucksack so I can try on clothes. Jones said as long as I don't wear it all day, it won't bother my chest as it heals.

My farm work goes by rather quickly, and I ensure my fields are well watered before I head over to the clinic to check in on the girl. Jones is nowhere to be found, probably upstairs, resting. Nancy is sitting next to the girl's bed, pushing the hair away from her brow.

“Morning, Nancy.” I say with a smile.

“Good morning, Princess.” Nancy greets me, but keeps her eyes on the girl.

“Is she doing alright?” I ask, pulling up a chair to sit next to her.

“Yes, she doesn't seem to have any complications. She whispers sometimes, things about plants and flowers and now and then something about her friends...”

“I wonder what she was doing out there in the forest,” I contemplate.

“Maybe she can tell us when she wakes up. She should wake soon. It's just a matter of time, now.”

“Will you keep an eye on her for me, Nancy? I'm going to get some new clothes today out of town, and I'd feel a lot better knowing she's got an eye on her.”

“Of course,” Nancy rests a hand on my shoulder to put me at ease. “Jones and I will take good care of her. Be sure to come by and show us your new outfit when you return!”

Her smile is always so caring, that of a mother. When she turns and looks down on the girl once more, she gains that sweet, melancholic look of yearning.

I take that as my cue to leave, and quietly exit so as not to disturb her.

 

I pack a lunch of pickled turnip onigiri for Arthur and I (a new recipe of my own making, since those two things are pretty much all I can cook right now with the ingredients I have on hand) and double-check myself to make sure I have everything I want to bring with me to the capital. I have my money, my underclothes, and our lunches. I'm set to go.

I exit the castle from behind my farm and meet Arthur on the docking platform for the airship. It's 8:45, I'm a little early, but so is he, I note with a grin.

He's wearing his usual getup, but has switched out his scarf for one with some embroidered pattern on it in a darker shade than that of the usual scarf he wears. The shirt beneath his jacket is more ornate, too, similar to the spring themed one he gave to me. Over his shoulder he's carrying a bag that's quite large. There must be trading goods in there.

“Arthur, good morning!” I say cheerily, waving to him as I walk up to our meeting spot. The area around us is almost completely empty, save for Porcoline headed out for a morning walk.

“Have a safe trip, you two!” Porcoline calls out as he walks by, blowing us kisses. I laugh awkwardly and wish him well back, telling him we will be careful.

“Good morning, Princess. Are you prepared to leave? We're a little early, I can wait if you have anything else you need to do.”

“I am all set to go!” I say with a grin, patting my small satchel with my things, “I packed us lunch too! Something special.”

“I can't wait to see what it is,” Arthur grins politely, pointing towards the ship with his whole hand. “Shall we?”

He places a hand on the small of my back and leads me forward, lending me his hand when I step between the dock and the airship. When he steps on the ship, he looks to me and with a sly smile, says, “This time, try not to fall off the airship.”

“Ha-ha,” I laugh sarcastically.

“Oh, Margaret wanted you to have this to wear on the ship. She's worried you'll catch a cold with the wind whipping around,” Arthur pulls out a sweater and hands it to me. “To be honest, I am glad she remembered, because I did not.”

“Thank you,” I take the sweater gratefully, pulling it over my head. “You're always wearing that jacket, I don't blame you for forgetting. I didn't think of it, either.”

“You also don't remember what it was like the last time you were on an airship,” Arthur reminds me with a lighthearted laugh, “It can get quite windy up in the sky.”

Arthur secures our things in a storage container, and starts up the ship. “We'll be stopping in Ayrith, a small town not far from Celsa, first.”

“Celsa?” I ask, “Is that the capital?”

“Yes, forgive me. I keep forgetting your lack of specific knowledge. It's a very interesting place, I'm sure you'll enjoy it there.” Arthur says, turning to look at me as he prepares the engine.

I assist him by removing the ties to the dock, and soon our ship embarks on it's way to Ayrith. The wind picks up quickly. It really does get quite cold on airships.

Arthur steers the airship using the wheel, keeping both hands on it with a calm demeanor. “Are you very good at flying airships, Arthur?” I am somewhat astonished by his confidence at the helm of the ship.

“I must be, for me to get anywhere for trade. More recently, though, I have had traders come to me, in Selphia. This client we'll be meeting with today is an older gentleman, he is paralyzed from the waist down. So as not to stress his body, I offered to come to him.”

“What are you going to be trading with him?” I ask.

“Well I've brought several things he might be interested in, gold of course included in that assortment, but what's more important is what I hope to get out of the trade. As you may know, soap is made from animal fats. It's difficult to make it from anything else, but he has managed to make it from olive oil. He has an entire farm of olive trees, and dedicates his time to making decorative and elaborate soaps made from olive oil. He dyes them with different flowers he grows in his farm, too. I hear he makes one with charm blues – ”

“Aren't those poisonous?” I almost shout, concerned for this man's safety.

“When ingested, yes, however when used as an ingredient with his soaps, he can make the charm blue's properties more diffused, and it creates a tingling sensation when used on the skin as a soap. He mailed me a sample, and I must say, it's quite invigorating.

“He also creates bath salts with the flowers he grows. He has some interesting scents that I haven't heard of yet. I think I would like to bring some soaps and salts back for Lin Fa as omiyage.”

“As what?”

“As a gift, representative of our travels. In the Far East, it is common to bring back small gifts related to your journey when you return. Normally they are small treats, related to the food commonly eaten in the area, but I think we can make an exception for Lin Fa as it's directly related to her trade. It's not often that one meets a person who can do all that single-handedly, after all.”

 

When Arthur and I dock in Ayrith's small port, it's about eleven o'clock. We had spent the rest of our trip relaxing and enjoying the wind, talking about nothing in particular. He helps me off of the ship the same way he had helped me on, and asks one of the men at the port where we could find a Jozef Swierczek. The strange name rolls off of his tongue like he's a native speaker.

“He's from the Republic of Eucraft, originally. He moved here when a distant relative left behind their olive farm. He's taken it over and switched the production of olive oil from being made for foods to soap and the like instead.” Arthur explains to me in a hushed tone as we wait for the directions.

The man at the dock is actually kind enough to walk us until we hit the edge of town, as it is a short distance away. He then provides us with directions to Mister Swierczek's olive farm, with a wave goodbye and a crooked smile.

“I'm starting to think the kindness bug has infected the entire kingdom of Norad,” I laugh.

“You'd be surprised what people are capable of when you approach them with a smile.” Arthur says with a smile of his own on his face.

 

When we arrive at the olive farm, I notice there is a small home in the front. In the back, the expanse of olive trees stretch out across the flat land, with a field of flowers next to it. Behind all of the acreage is several buildings, which I can only assume are used for processing the soap. “Impressive,” I murmur.

Arthur nods in agreement and knocks on the door three times in short succession. After we wait a couple of minutes, he answers the door. “Mister Swierczek, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Arthur D. Lawrence, we corresponded by mail?”

Arthur reaches down to shake his hand, and Mister Swierczek responds with a hearty shake. He has light skin which sags around his neck from old age, and a sparse salt and pepper beard that meets up with his mustache around his mouth. On top of his head, not much but a tuft of hair in the back is left.

“Come in, come in, please.” Mister Swierczek wheels himself into the house, motioning for us to follow. “And who is this? Your girlfriend, Arthur?” He grins real big, like he had just hit the jackpot.

“This is Frey, she's a close friend of mine from Selphia. We're headed to the capital later, so she came along with me for the trip here. I thought I told you of her in my letter, Mister Swierczek?”

“Please, call me Jozef. And you don't have to lie to me Arthur, I can see your relationship plain as day. Lovely to meet you by the way, Miss Frey. He's quite handsome, isn't he?” Jozef laughs some more as he wheels himself into the living room, Arthur and I joining him by sitting on the couch.

“He is, isn't he,” I say casually, and then add: “It's the hair.”

“It's definitely the hair,” Jozef agrees.

After the two of us have our laughs, Arthur intervenes: “Shall we get down to business?” His light tone of voice is the exact opposite of the sternness he is trying to convey, so it sounds quite silly.

“Yes, of course. My soaps are in my shed out back. If you wouldn't mind pushing me there, just so we don't have to go quite so slowly – ”

“It's no problem at all, Jozef.” Arthur says amicably.

We head to the shed at the back of the property; all the while Jozef tells us about his olive trees and how he creates the soaps.

“Arthur told me you make one with Charm Blues. Is that really safe?” I ask.

“Of course, as long as you don't go stuffing the soap in your mouth! I wouldn't do that with any soap to begin with, though.” He lets out a chortling laugh, “I also make an invigorating bath salt with charm blues.”

“Oh really?” Arthur perks up at this.

“If you want to see, we can set up a demo for you to feel the effects of the different salts in a bowl of water. You can put your hands in.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Arthur says, pushing Jozef into the building he points us towards. Jozef takes control of his wheelchair,

 

Inside are a multitude of machines. He tells us how he gets from the olives on the trees all the way to the soaps, packaged in pretty iridescent cellophane in a storage building. It's really quite impressive. He lets Arthur and I try the bath salts and the different products made with charm blues. I would imagine they would work wonders for waking up early in the morning with their invigorating scent and feeling. He even shows us one infused with coffee grounds, that smells absolutely heavenly. When I scrub it on my forearms, the coffee grounds exfoliate them and dead skin comes off in small little flakes. It's a little gross, but when I finish scrubbing with the soap my arms feel silky smooth.

Arthur purchases one of each of the charm blue products and two of the coffee soaps, as well as some more basic soaps, scented with various fruit and flower combinations. Jozef accepts some herbal infusions from the Far East and the Republic of Eucraft for his soaps as payment in combination with gold.

After we pay Jozef we head back to his home at the front of the property, where we share tea together. When it's time to say goodbye, Jozef is rather disappointed to see us go.

“It's been a while since I've had visitors as nice as you two! I hope you'll come back again soon, even if it's just to trade.” Jozef smiles at the two of us, “And I mean both of you! Don't leave your girlfriend behind, Arthur!”

“I'm sure Frey and I will be back again soon.” Arthur says politely, choosing to ignore the girlfriend comment, “We really enjoyed your soaps. Thank you for taking the time to give us a tour.”

“Anytime, anytime! It's my pleasure.”

The three of us gather our empty cups and Arthur and I clean the dishes for Jozef so he doesn't have to worry about them later. After a little while longer of sitting and chatting, Arthur and I have to leave for the capitol.

“I'm afraid it's about time Frey and I get going, Jozef. Thank you for your generous hospitality.” Arthur reaches over to Jozef for a handshake, and instead gets pulled in for a big hug and a kiss on each cheek. Arthur handles the surprise with grace, wrapping his arms around Jozef and returning the kisses, thanking him again. Jozef and I exchange addresses, so we can correspond. I tell him if I find anything interesting for soap ingredients while I farm I'll mail him some.

 

When Arthur and I get back on the ship, we are still talking about Jozef and his soaps.

“They were just so impressive! I may not have a very long memory, but I've never seen anything like that soap before!”

“Artisanal soaps aren't uncommon, however they are typically expensive and made in the captial, intended for the more wealthy citizens. Jozef's soaps are a little more expensive than normal soaps, due to their atypical nature in being made from olive oil and their natural ingredients, however they are still rather affordable, especially as a nice treat. I imagine they'd make a great gift and would be excellent for sale in the bath house. I'll be sure to run the business proposal by Lin Fa. It'd be lovely to have an established trade link with Jozef right in Selphia. It'd be a unique sales point too, adding tranquility and relaxation in the baths...”

Arthur's ability to ramble is quite astonishing, to be honest. Our stomachs growl and interrupt his monologue before he can continue, however.

“Would you like to have that lunch I brought?” I ask, pulling out the box of onigiri I had made.

“Yes, that sounds lovely. What did you bring?” Arthur asks with a smile.

We go down below deck where there is a small dining table, surrounded by benches. There is a miniature kitchen, as well. Instead of sitting across from one another like we normally do in Arthur's office, we sit next to one another on the bench, close enough that our legs are touching. “I made pickled turnip onigiri! I was experimenting, so I don't know how well it will turn out, but I think it sounds like it will go good together, so...” I trail off, blushing slightly as I pull out the black lacquered box. Inside are several onigiri, separated by strips of nori and once again decorated with cute expressive faces.

“This looks great! Thank you for working so hard to make lunch, Frey.”

We both pick up one, and bite into it. The lightly salted rice compliments the vinegary flavor of the pickled turnips well. It's very light and simple, but also filling. Together we polish off the entire box, not bothering to talk while we eat.

When we finish, we both lean back, sighing contentedly. “Thank you again. That was absolutely delicious! I hope it isn't too much to ask, but I would love it if you made those again for me.” Arthur looks at me with a smile, a light pink blush settling onto his cheeks.

“I'd love to eat them again myself. They were much better than I expected! I'll bring them by your office sometime and we can have lunch together again,” I beam.

After I put away the bento box, I realize I have to go to the bathroom. “Arthur, I know we have to get going, but is there a bathroom on the airship? Or do we have to go back into town?”

“There's actually one right down the hall, on your right.”

“Oh, good.” I say, not wanting to have to go all the way back into town just for a bathroom break. I open the first door on the right, but it's a bedroom.

“Oh, sorry. The next door on the right. That's one of the bedrooms.”

“Bedrooms? How big is this airship?” I ask incredulously.

“It's rather small actually, it only sleeps four. It's meant more to be a cargo ship than one for transport of people.”

“Right. I'm going to go to the bathroom. You can start the airship in the meantime, if you like.”'

“Alright, I'll see you up on deck.” Arthur heads up the stairs after starting up the airship, and I join him after I'm finished in the bathroom.

 

When I arrive on deck, we're already moving and the ground is getting farther and farther away. I look out over the edge of the airship to watch us float away. It's quite pretty.

“Arthur, I know what my favorite part of riding on an airship is!” I say confidently.

“What is it?” He asks, looking over at me with a smile but not removing his hands from the steering wheel.

“It's when we get high enough to fly through the clouds! I know they just feel wet, but it's cool being able to say that I've touched a cloud.”

“It is rather strange when you think of it, isn't it? The things we are capable of as humans, like flying through clouds. Who ever could have thought?” He laughs and shakes his head, making the pins in his hair sparkle in the sunlight.

We fly on in companionable silence until we reach Celsa, the capital. I am itching with excitement at the idea of getting a new wardrobe. He mentioned doing some sightseeing, too. I wonder what he has in mind.

“Are you ready?” Arthur asks me after we've tied down the airship to one of the many ports in Celsa.

“Yes, I'm so excited! Thank you again for taking me,” I reach over to him and hug him tightly, pressing my cheek up against his chest. He is stiff at first, surprised by the sudden contact, but quickly wraps his arms around me, too. “It means so much to me.” I say sincerely.

“I know,” He says simply. I think back to my teary-eyed explanation of how I hated my clothes, that day. I know another day will probably come along like that, if I have to keep wearing that outfit. I'd like to be comfortable in my own skin.

Arthur pats my head and I release him from my grip. He stores his bag of trade-able goods in the lower level of the airship and returns with a much smaller cross-body bag. He leads me off of the airship, holding my hand and guiding me with a hand at the small of my back like last time, and I suppress a blush that is attempting to show itself on my cheeks.

“Welcome to Celsa, Princess.” Arthur says with a grin and a flourish as we step off of the airship. He guides me toward the port exits, not letting go of my hand due to the crowded nature of the port.

All around me are people pressing past one another, lining up for transport vessels and stacking cargo on airships. I hear different languages, different accents, and I see all sorts of different races and ethnicities. It's like everyone from everywhere wants to be here. Arthur holds my hand a little tighter as a large crowd pushes past us, shoving us toward the edge of the port's walkways. I nearly walk into a pole, but I stop suddenly because I recognize a face printed on the pole in a _MISSING_ portrait.

Arthur lets go of my hand and stops next to me, looking at the picture printed on the light pole. It's a sketch of a girl with hair flowing from her head in two high pigtails, and she's wearing that cursed breastplate with the chain hanging from one breast. It's in black and white but I know for certain that her hair is green, and that it's me.

“This is...” I can't even finish the sentence. There's contact information below in case any information is found on the missing person.

Arthur stays quiet for a moment, and then lets out a deep breath. “Well, if you wanted a lead to your memories, this is a good start.”

“I-I don't know if I want to know.” I say immediately, frightened by the idea of it. What if I had to leave Selphia?

“I won't make you look into it if you don't want to, but why don't I keep this just in case?” Arthur reaches up to the pole, carefully taking down the image. There's an address to write to if anything is known about the girl pictured. He folds it up and places it in his bag.

“Alright,” I say, “But please don't look into it without me. This is my decision to make.”

“I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Frey.” He wraps his hand back around mine, threading our fingers together. This time I think he's just doing it to make me feel better, not so we don't get separated, since some airships have left and the port is now significantly less crowded. “Shall we get going? Why don't we start with some sightseeing, so we aren't weighed down by our shopping bags?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fun in the capital city, Celsa!

Arthur and I are walking through the streets of Celsa, still hand in hand. The style of Celsa is much more modern than Selphia, but not overly so. The shops and homes are mostly tudor style, and the few apartment buildings (Arthur had to explain the allure of apartments to me – why someone would want to live in such tight quarters is beyond me, but apparently it is perfectly normal in the capital) are styled to look such that they are several separate large homes rather than one imposing structure, making it overall more pleasing to the eye. The streets have large cobblestone sidewalks and paved roads on which mostly cable cars travel, but there is also the occasional horse and carriage or car. There are many people whizzing by on bicycles on the edge of the street. Up above, small airships with advertisements written on the balloons float about here and there.

He leads me over to a portion of the sidewalk with an ornate sign on the corner which details the cable car routes that stop there, and when they arrive. I examine the sign with wonder. “Lots of people must live here for there to be so many cable cars running constantly,” I muse.

“Yes, without this many people a transportation system like this certainly wouldn't be possible.” Arthur nods, checking the schedule. 

A moment later the cable car comes by. As per the nature of the name, it is connected to a cable that is suspended in the air, and runs on wheels that are locked into a rut in the road. Arthur and I step onto the open-air car, and he plunks some change into a coin receptacle at the front. I scramble for my purse, not having thought ahead of time about having to pay.

“I've paid your fare, too, Miss Frey. Come take a seat.” He tugs gently on my arm, gesturing for me to come forward and stop holding up the line.

I blush slightly and quickly take a seat next to Arthur on the cable car, allowing the other passengers to get on as well. “Where are we headed, Arthur?” I ask, curious about our destination.

“Well, I was trying to think of something to do that you would enjoy, that is different enough from Selphia that it would leave you with a lasting impression. After a bit of searching, I've come up with a few different options. The ocean is relatively close, so we could go visit the beach – though it is a bit too cold for sunbathing or enjoying the water. There are some lovely lighthouses nearby, so we could always see those if you'd like to visit the beach. Alternatively, there is an open-air market that is happening in town today. There will be hundreds of vendors selling items and foods from all walks of life – but I do understand if you'd rather not go, as that does tend to be something I'd be more interested in than anyone else. Lastly, there are several museums and concert halls in town. We could catch a play or a musical performance, and look at some artwork if you like. Or do any combination of those things, as long as there is enough time left in the day to fit in shopping, as well.”

“Do you think we could go see a play? I don't know if I've ever actually seen one, but I can't remember anything, so I think it would be fun to see one. And maybe, if we have time after, go to the open air market for a bit before we go shopping? I know it's already past lunch time, so I don't know if we have enough time...”

“The shops here in Celsa are typically open much later than the shops back home in Selphia, so we should be alright. This cable car will take us to the city square and from there we can walk to one of the performance halls nearby. I'm sure there's a show going on at some point today. If it's not for a while, we can go to the open air market first to make best use of our time.”

“Hehe, you already think of Selphia as home too, then?” I ask, nudging Arthur in his side with my elbow.

“Yes, I suppose you're right. Even though I've lived here in the capital my entire life, living in Selphia has brought me a peace I didn't know existed until recently. Even coming here to visit with you today, I don't feel homesick. I suppose that regularly corresponding with my family might lessen that feeling, though.”

“Whatever my past was, I certainly don't feel homesick. If anything, I want to stay in Selphia forever. I want to see it blossom.”

“Me too, Miss Frey. Let's work hard together.” Arthur turns his head fully to look into my eyes. An easygoing smile grows on his face, and he reaches over for my hand and gives it a single squeeze. I squeeze back before he releases it.

Pink blooms on my cheeks, and I turn away to look elsewhere so he doesn't see. I hear him laughing lightly to himself, though, so he probably did see it anyway.

“Your cheeks are the loveliest shade of pink, Miss Frey. It's quite cute.”

He saw it all. I struggle to maintain my embarrassment and continue to look away from him, crossing my arms across my chest in defiance. Soon after, the bus stops.

“Come on, my princess in pink. This is our stop.”

I look over at him in shock, and he has a big grin plastered across his face. He enjoys teasing me like this!

I give him the cold shoulder and get up to get off the bus without speaking to him. He follows, and once the crowd has dispersed, I look around at our surroundings.

Across the street is a large marble building with giant columns out in front that reach from the ground to the ceiling. The roof reaches a point in the center, and has figures that I can't make out from this distance carved into it. “Is that a church? Does Celsa have a Divine Dragon living here, too?”

Arthur can't help himself, it seems, because he lets out a rather loud laugh at my question. “No, Frey, that's the justice building. Selphia is unique, actually. No other town has a Divine Dragon presiding over it's well-being like Selphia. I'm actually a little surprised that word of Ventuswill alone doesn't pull more tourism towards Selphia, but I suppose since Ventuswill's been around so long, maybe it has become 'old news'.”

“Celsa has a building this big dedicated just to punishing people?” A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. There should be no need for a building so big, dedicated to misdeeds.

“The justice building is used not just for criminal matters, but also civil matters of law, and clerical actions. One can also get married at the justice building, if they don't wish for a formal procession.”

“I would hate getting married in a place like that.” I say with a frown. 

“Come on Miss Frey, let's get going towards the entertainment district. The business district isn't much fun aside from the few delicious restaurants it has here and there.”

“Okay.” I nod.

Arthur and I head away from the justice building, looming in the distance with it's strange aura. The farther away from the business district we get, the brighter and more fun the area seems to grow. Workers stand outside of businesses, soliciting pedestrians to come inside. Arthur has to pull me away by the arm from the solicitors multiple times. All the while he is scribbling furiously into his notebook.

“Soliciting isn't allowed in the daylight hours here in Celsa. I will send a letter to my father and have the royal guard increase patrol in these areas to prevent daytime soliciting. I'm sorry I had to drag you away from them, but you don't want to visit those types of places anyway. Typically it's a dinner-and-a-show type deal, where you are told the cost of the dinner and show, but the drinks are exorbitantly expensive and you can end up running a hefty bill by the end of the night. Unfortunately, we have yet to combat that aspect of the business. My father is trying to pass an ordinance so that all prices must be listed clearly and shown to the customer, but it's difficult to regulate those types of things.”

“It must be hard, being in charge of things like that.” I say, shocked at the amount of thought that goes into dealing with the problems of a city.

“Luckily, Celsa doesn't have many serious problems. Keeping our citizens safe and happy is my father's main goal. Just like what you're trying to do in Selphia, Princess.” Arthur smiles kindly at me. 

“But managing Selphia is much easier than managing the capital of Norad, I imagine!”

“You're right, but that doesn't mean you aren't working hard, too. Your hardworking attitude shows off so much that it is inspiring everyone else in town to follow along.”

“You're kidding.” I say in shock.

“No, I'm very serious. Porcoline is trying not to eat as many dishes, because he's so proud of you for picking up on cooking so quickly. Forte is training more and more every day so she can continue to protect you. Kiel read up on Yokmir Forest for you. Illuminata seems to have taken a liking to that girl in the clinic – she wants to take her in, if she’ll have her, and Jones and Nancy are working on improving their health potions. Bado even sharpened your spear, from what I heard. Lin Fa and Xiao Pai are working on keeping the bathhouse running smoothly, too. Granny Blossom has even been speaking to me about hoping to get a larger variety of seeds in, after seeing how voraciously you've bought up her stocks.”

“I guess you're right. We didn't know everyone in town before we showed up, so it's hard to imagine how much they've changed in such a short period of time.”

“Venti told me she's very proud of you and what you've done – regardless of how reckless you can be sometimes.” Arthur laughs.

“Yeah, I guess I can be a little crazy sometimes.”

“As long as you're careful, I'm sure you can do anything you put your mind to. Just don't work yourself to the point of exhaustion.” Arthur says this in a light tone of voice, but his facial expression conveys real worry.

“I'm sure you would know all about working yourself to exhaustion. You're always hunched over that desk of yours!”

“Yes, I do spend a disproportionate amount of time working. But people depend on me, and if working hard means that their expectations are met, that's what I'll do.”

“That's very kind of you, Arthur.”

“Yes, well, not everyone gets life handed to them on a silver platter. I've made many business deals all across the globe with people who just needed someone to give them a chance... and now their businesses are flourishing. I've brought instruments from the Republic of Eucraft, textiles from the Far East... These things are now in the hands of people here in Norad, who treasure them like family heirlooms or sell them in distinguished shops. Multiculturalism is a wonderful thing. I'm sure you'll love the open air market. I hope we can find some interesting things for sale there.”

Arthur's smile on his face grows larger as he continues to talk about his work. I can't help but smile along with him, and loop my arm with his as we continue to walk along.

“Ah, here we are. It seems today they are putting on a performance of Twelve Angry Men. They're also playing Hamlet later, after Twelve Angry Men. Do you know these two plays?” Arthur asks, looking at the posters for the plays today with me.

I shake my head. “I suppose I haven't seen them, if I don't know what they're about.”

“Twelve Angry Men is a play about twelve jurors who must decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty in a murder trial. At the beginning, only one man expresses doubt that the defendant is guilty. The entirety of the play is the twelve jurors discussing the possibility of the defendant being guilty or not. In order for them to come to a conclusion, the entire jury must vote either guilty or not guilty, so that's where most of the conflict comes from.”

“Wow, that sounds complicated. Is that what the justice system is really like?”

“Yes, for murder trials that are seen by a jury, the entire jury must find the defendant to be either guilty or not guilty.”

“And what about the other play? What is Hamlet about?”

“This is a play set several hundred years in the past. Hamlet, a prince who was studying abroad in the Republic of Eucraft, is sent home to attend his father's funeral, to find that his mother has already remarried. Hamlet sees his father's ghost and becomes obsessed with the idea of revenge, convinced that his new stepfather had a role to play in his father's death. All the while, he falls in love with a girl named Ophelia. There is lots of death, but I won't spoil who dies for you.” Arthur grins mischievously.

“Are all plays so heavy in their choice of topic?” I sigh deeply. These might be depressing to watch!

“Most plays do have a source of conflict, yes. It's what makes them interesting. If you don't like the idea of either of the plays, we can go do something else.”

“No it's fine, I'm sure I'll end up enjoying it. Why don't we see Twelve Angry Men, since that's showing soon?”

“As you wish, Princess.” Arthur bows low in an act of extravagance, only serving to make me laugh. He offers his arm and I take it, and we walk arm in arm to the ticket booth.

Arthur picks out our seats from a chart at the ticket booth and pays for our tickets. The play starts in half an hour, so we get a small snack and drinks at a cafe down the road before heading inside to take our seats.

 

The theater is surprisingly full. It is the weekend, so I should have been expecting it, but regardless Arthur and I are packed like sardines into the full crowd. We are in the center towards the front, off to the side a little, but still have an excellent view of the stage.

“How did you get such good tickets right before the show started? Wouldn't these have sold already?” I lean over and whisper into his ear.

“Being a prince of Norad does have its perks occasionally, I suppose.” He says with a mischievous grin. I can feel his hot breath on my ear as he whispers into it, and I try to suppress the shudder that unexpectedly runs through me. The pleasant sound of the orchestra tuning their instruments doesn’t help this feeling running through my body, either. I take a deep breath, calming myself so I don’t end up blushing again.

The play starts after the orchestra warms up. Throughout the whole play, the scene doesn't change once. All twelve men are in the jury room the entire time, aside from when occasionally a flashback or someone's imagination suggests a scene and it is played out off to the side of the juror's room. Even with the bare-bones setting, I am enraptured by the storyline. Halfway through, I find myself scooting forward in my seat to better pay attention. It isn't until Arthur puts a hand on my shoulder to rest my back against the chair once more that I realize I must have been doing that for a while, to be sore from sitting so still that way.

At the end, I stand up and clap wholeheartedly with the rest of the crowd for the performers, who give a bow all together at the end. Some people even throw roses and bouquets onto the stage. Arthur and I don't leave until the crowd has thinned considerably, choosing to sit and wait in the chairs and discuss the play.

“So it wasn't too depressing for you?” Arthur asks with a smile.

“No, I really enjoyed it! I can't believe there was so much emotion in there, even with each character only being known by a number...”

“Yes, it's a very famous play. Now you can say you've seen it if you're ever at a party and need something to talk about.” 

“I feel like I could talk about it all day. The part about the knife? Brilliant! I never would have thought of that!”

“Yes, it really makes you open up your mind to other thought patterns and ideas. It's got a great lesson. Significantly less sad than Hamlet, too, I think. Good choice.”

“I'm glad I didn't choose that one, then... Do we still have time to go to the open air market?” I ask as we exit the theater.

“Yes, we should have time. It's relatively close by, too.”

 

In an area that is half entertainment district, half business district, is several blocked off streets covered in stalls that are each ran by a different vendor, selling different items and foods. There are colorful signs above each one, advertising what they sell. Many of the words are written in languages I can't understand.

“Arthur, can you read these signs? What do they say?”

“Yes, I can read some of them. They are advertising what they're selling in the booths, so thankfully you only need to peek inside to understand what's written above. Shall we look around?” Arthur stays close by me in the packed crowd the whole time, walking alongside me.

We pass by countless booths, selling clothing, jewelry, toys for children, and lots of delicious smelling food. Together Arthur and I sample fried octopus’ legs, curried lamb, corn soup, and various other dishes all adorned with delicious sauces and spices. We aren't quite hungry for dinner yet, so we don't eat more than a few bites of each, regardless of how delicious they are.

“Oh, wow!” I stop suddenly at stall selling handbags and jewelry. On a velvet display mat on the table at the front of the stall is a beautiful pair of earrings. It's a pair of dangling earrings shaped like teardrops, the color of rain. As they shift in the light, the color changes from it's base of a light blue to light and dark flashes of green. I reach up to my ears, feeling the lobes. Are my ears pierced?

I realize I can't even tell. “Arthur?” I turn towards him standing at my side. He looks at me with an inquiring smile, urging me to go on. “Are my ears pierced?” I ask with a nervous laugh.

He gets up close to examine my face, looking at my ears intently. I can see each individual eyelash on his eyes, he's so close. His skin looks so flawlessly perfect, too.

“Sorry, I know it's a stupid question to ask–”

“It's not stupid at all, Miss Frey. How could you know, unless you've asked yourself this question before?”

He's right, but I just find it so embarrassing that I don't know a simple fact about my own body. I have no idea what I've done or been through in what I've been calling my past life... But really, it's my current life. I just can't remember it. Am I a virgin? Am I married? Who is waiting for me, wherever I came from? Why was I on that airship, in the first place?

I'm broken from my train of thought by Arthur tugging on my earlobe. He pulls at it gently, examining it carefully. “Yes, your ears are pierced, Miss Frey. Incidentally, mine are too.”

He pulls back his perfectly straight hair like a curtain, tucking it behind his ears so I can see his pierced earlobes. There's a little dot perfectly in the center of each ear.

“Why don't you wear earrings, then?” I ask, startled.

“I typically only wear them to parties. It's an accessory popular among noble men, but it's significantly less common among men not of noble stature. As I'm sure you know, most ladies do get their ears pierced, regardless of social status.”

“You should wear some! They would look so pretty with your hair. And these earrings here match your eyes. They're beautiful.” I say, pointing toward a pair of ruby red stud earrings.

“My eyes, or the earrings?” Arthur asks. A small, neutral smile adorns his lips.

I begin to blush immediately, but before I can answer, the shopkeeper comes to my rescue.

“The jewelry is buy one, get the second half off. You could each get a pair of earrings.” She says, having overheard our conversation.

I take the opportunity to change the subject and allow my cheeks to cool down. “It's settled then! We'll take these two, please.” I say, gesturing to the teardrop earrings and the ruby red studs.

The shopkeep polishes and cleans them off for us, and offers to wrap them up.

“I think we'd like to wear them now, actually. Thank you.”

She tells us the amount, and after a little bickering, I convince Arthur to split the cost with me evenly rather than pay for all of it himself. We move away from the crowded stalls to sit on a bench to put our earrings in. After looking at mine for a moment, I look up at Arthur.

“Um, could you help me put these in? I don't really know how. Or where exactly my piercings are.” I'm a little embarrassed that I can't even get a pair of earrings in, but Arthur seems to have no problem with assisting me.

“Of course, Frey. Would you lean forward a little?” He asks with a kind smile.

I do as he asks, leaning in closer to his face. He takes my earrings and begins to place them in my ears. The feeling of earrings going into my earlobes for the first time feels somewhat strange, but I get over it quickly. While he is focused on my ears, I am able to unabashedly look at his face, and take the moment to examine him up close.

His skin is so smooth; I wonder if it would feel like velvet underneath my fingertips. His glasses are clear as day, allowing me to look closely into his eyes for the first time. The sunshine makes his red eyes look like pretty glass marbles, able to catch and reflect the light easily. He puts my earrings in, locking the backings on securely but not too tight. Once he finishes, his eyes meet mine and he catches me staring. I blush and pull away instinctively, holding out my hands so he can give me his earrings. 

“Can I try to put them in for you? They just go in that little dot, right?” I ask, boldly reaching out to tuck his hair behind his ear.

“I can put them in myself without too much difficulty, it's alright, really.” Arthur says, looking down and away from me at the ground.

“Oh, please? You helped me, I'll help you. Look at me.” I say, and turn his face towards me by grabbing his chin. “What I said before, I meant both. Your eyes are a beautiful color. I've never seen anyone else with eyes like yours – not that I’ve met many people, but anyway – these earrings really do compliment them well.”

Arthur nods quietly at my statement, not saying anything. A light dusting of pink adorns his cheeks. I lean forward once more, carefully insert the earrings into his ears, and lock the backings on. They glitter prettily in the light, flashing red behind his hair when he turns his head, just like the color of his eyes.

“I wish I had a mirror! I suppose we'll have to wait to see what they look like on ourselves until we get back to Selphia.”

“Yes, I guess you're right.” Arthur says with a smile. “Would you like to keep looking around? There's still plenty of time to go clothes shopping afterward.”

And so Arthur and I continue to look around the open air market. He buys several interesting gadgets and knick knacks, storing them in his rucksack to take back home to Selphia. 

As we prepare to leave the open-air market, Arthur pauses at a stall selling handmade hair accessories and glasses. 

As I look over the hair accessories, Arthur busies himself with the glasses. After I've finished looking over the accessories, I see he is still pouring over the many frames, occasionally picking one up and turning it this way or that. 

“You have a glasses collection in your room, don't you? Do you collect them?” I ask, watching as he picks up a pair of thin, rectangular glasses.

“Yes, I suppose it is a collection. What do you think of these ones?” He asks, a small smile adorning his face.

“I think they're cute!” I say happily, taking the glasses from him and placing them on my face. The glasses don't seem to be prescription, because I can see fine, but the frames being constantly in my peripheral vision is startling. “Woah,” I say, reaching up to touch the frames on my face. “How do I look?”

Arthur continues to smile, placing a hand over his mouth as he laughs a little at my amazement. “Very cute, indeed.” He says, more so to himself than to me, I think.

The booth has a small mirror set up, so I look into it to see my reflection.

The square black frames make me look very different from how I'm used to seeing myself. I blink in surprise, and then shift my attention to the sparkling earrings dangling from my ears. They match my hair exquisitely, making me smile in appreciation.

After another moment of staring, I take the glasses off and place them back on the table. “Must you take them off so soon? They looked so lovely on you.”

I find myself blushing at his comment, but quickly try to brush it off. “I think you really like glasses, Arthur. But we should get going if we want to have enough time to go clothes shopping, right?”

He sighs, disappointed. “Yes, I suppose you're right.” Arthur turns to the shopkeeper, “Thank you for your time. Have a wonderful evening.” He smiles graciously and leads me out of the open air market with a gentle hand on my arm.

After a walk to a cable car station and a short ride, we arrive in the shopping district. Arthur drops off his cloak at a tailor first, and then we go through several shops, finally stopping in one with a style that I am attracted to. 

I end up picking out a more appropriate outfit for battle. The t-shirt is a light tan color made out of a sporty material which could easily absorb sweat and dry quickly, and comes with a matching sporty jacket with a wide, open cowl neck in a darker brown. I also bought the matching leggings and shorts, so I could choose between them depending on the weather.

In another store, I find a pretty light pink tea length dress with white polka dots, which comes with a petticoat underneath to make it extra fluffy. A satin ribbon in a lighter shade of pink ties around my waist, defining it.

I also choose a few plain shirts in various sleeve lengths and different colors that have three buttons going down vertically from the neckline, as well as some matching knee length skirts and shorts. After picking up a couple of accessories, pajamas, and undergarments, I'm finally finished shopping and have exhausted most of my money. Arthur happily trails along beside me, carrying some of my shopping bags to help me and respectfully waiting outside while I choose undergarments. We circle back around and find that his cloak has finished being tailored, and he tries it on for size.

Now that it isn't too big on him, the cloak looks nice and hugs his frame well. I smile at him and nod my head in approval. After we exit the tailor's, Arthur pauses at the entrance and turns to me.

“I realize that it's getting quite late, but would you like to stop and eat dinner before we head back to Selphia? The ride is a bit long, and by the time we return to Selphia, everyone is bound to already be asleep.”

“Yeah, good idea. Do you have any place in mind?” I ask, placing the heavy shopping bags down on the ground for a moment to stretch out my fingers.

Arthur takes me to a dimly-lit fondue restaurant for dinner. I really enjoy the idea of dipping the food into the melted cheese, and it tastes delicious, too. For dessert we share a slice of cake, taking turns biting from it. Once I notice no servers are nearby our table to listen, I ask, “Hey Arthur, why didn't anyone recognize you as the prince today?” 

“Well I'm thirteenth in line to the throne, you see, so no one cares much about me.” He pauses in thought, “Let me rephrase that, actually. My family loves me very much, each in their own ways, but I am simply not in the public eye like my brothers and sisters are. It's also the way I choose to be. I don't like attention much for something I haven't earned. Being a prince by birthright is hardly something I worked hard for.”

“So did you choose to go to Selphia? To get away from here?”

“I volunteered for the job, yes. I didn't think my father would have expected me to continue my previous duties in trade, but I was obviously wrong. That's why I'm so grateful you've taken on the position as Princess of Selphia. It makes my job more bearable.”

Arthur's head tilts to the side a little as he smiles, creating an adorable image. “I'm glad I could help,” I say happily.

When we reach the end of the cake, he plucks the strawberry from the top and offers it to me. Instead of taking it with my hand, as I'm sure he expected me to, I bite into it straight from his fingers and lick the whipped cream off of my lips. He laughs in delight and pops the other half of the strawberry into his mouth, seemingly without a care in the world. 

 

By the time we get back to the airship, it's dark and the port is nearly empty aside from some cargo workers. Arthur helps me onto the ship to make sure I don't lose my footing in the darkness, and he heads down beneath the deck to start up the engine. 

“I'm sorry it took us longer than anticipated. I had fun today, though. Thank you for accompanying me to visit Jozef, as well. I think he thoroughly enjoyed our company.” Arthur says as he walks down the hallway to the engine room. I seat myself at the dining table below deck, thoroughly exhausted from our long day. When he returns from starting the engine and sees me resting my head on the table, he shakes his head.

“You can go rest in one of the bedrooms if you like. Selphia's a bit of a ways away.”

“I don't want to leave you all alone up there, though.” I say, rising from my seat at the table.

Arthur pushes me towards the bedroom. “Go rest. I'll come get you if I need you.”

I look at him with tired eyes, ready to admit defeat. “You promise?”

“I promise.” Arthur offers me his pinky with a grin.

“What are you doing?” I ask with a laugh.

“It's something that's popular among children. It's called a pinky promise. You can't break them, they're sacred.” He says it with a serious face, but mirth dances in his ruby red eyes.

I lock my pinky with his. “Alright then, you pinky promise!”

“Now you go rest,” He says, continuing to push me towards the bedroom.

The bedroom is small, just beneath the front of the ship. I left my shopping bags back in the dining room, so I go get the new pair of pajamas I bought to change into. Without even bothering to clean up the clothes I left scattered about as I changed, I fall into a deep sleep.

 

I wake up to the feeling of a warm hand running through my hair. The hand runs from my forehead down to the back of my neck and rests there for a second, twisting the long tendrils of my hair between its fingers, before moving to my shoulder to gently shake me awake. “Miss Frey, we're back home. It's time to wake up.”

I groan and roll away from him, pulling the blankets tighter to myself and over my head to block out the noise.

“I'm sure your bed at home is much more comfortable than this one, Frey. We should head home.”

“You got to touch my hair, so let me touch yours.” I say, peeking my head out from the covers. I open my eyes and see Arthur standing at the edge of the bed and leaning over me, his hair delicately framing his face.

“What?” He asks, confused by the change in topic.

“Come here,” I say, refusing to move from my cocoon. He obliges, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning over so I can run my hands through his hair.

I pull him closer so that he is lying next to me, his head on the pillow. I can feel his body heat, even through the blankets. His hair is silkier and softer than I expected. I run my fingers through it a few times and start to drift back asleep, hypnotized by the repetitive motions.

“Frey,” I hear Arthur say next to me. “Come on,” He says, getting up from the bed and attempting to pull the covers from me.

When that doesn't work, I hear him shuffle around the room, and leave for a moment. I sigh in relief and let myself fall back asleep, loosening my grip on the sheets.

That turns out to be the worst decision ever, because moments later he comes back and rips the blankets off of the bed, and picks me up bridal-style to carry me out.

“It's cold!” I shout, trying to get out from his grip. 

“Stand up and you can have my cloak.” He says authoritatively.

I grumble, but I do get down from his arms and rub at my sleepy eyes. He hands me his cloak and I put it on, thankful that it's warm from him wearing it. “Sorry I gave you a hard time,” I mumble.

“It's fine, Miss Frey. I hope you don't mind, but I cleaned up your clothing and place it in one of your shopping bags in case I had to carry you all the way back to your room.” He says all of this as he re-makes the bed that I mussed up.

“Sorry, Arthur.” I say again.

“It's really alright. Let's get you home and back to bed. It's been a long day, it's nearly one in the morning.”

“Such a long day...” I say, grabbing my shopping bags. Arthur takes some of them to help me, since I seem to be unable to carry much while I'm so exhausted. He walks with me all the way into my bedroom, even though I tell him he doesn't have to, and places the shopping bags down next to my wardrobe. 

“I had a lot of fun today. Thank you for accompanying me to the capital, Miss Frey.” Arthur says with a smile. He presses the palm of his hand against my cheek fondly, and then moves it to pat me on top of the head.

“Me too, thank you for taking me,” I say sleepily, attempting to suppress a yawn.

“Sweet dreams, Miss Frey.” He turns and leaves without another word, and I don't even think to wish him the same as I crawl right into bed and fall asleep, the cloak still wrapped around me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finals week(s) for me and I have a cold so chapter 8 actually isn't finished yet (which I don't like) but I'm sure I'll be able to stay on track for a release of the next chapter at the end of December :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey meets Amber, does some Princess duties, and has brunch with Arthur.

The next morning, it's almost as if I can still feel the warmth of Arthur's hand on my cheek, waking me slowly from my dreams.

Instead, I receive a wake-up call from the world's peppiest butler-in-training, Vishnal. “Good morning, Princess! The sun is up and so should we be!”

When I roll over and refuse to acknowledge him, he shakes my shoulder lightly. “Go away,” I groan.

“You should wake up and tend to your farm! If you're tired, I'm sure Volkanon would be more than happy to make you some coffee...”

I nod slowly. Yes, a cup of coffee might help.

And so, after some prodding from Vishnal, I get up and dressed in a new green skirt and tan short sleeve blouse combination. The earrings I purchased yesterday with Arthur are still in my ears after I neglected to take them out last night, so I leave those in, too.

It's not until I'm done with my farming that I realize this is the first time I've gone out in public with my neck exposed. Instinctively, I reach up to touch the naked skin there.

That high-necked gold collar I wore every day is now absent, leaving my neck and some of my chest exposed in a way that makes me feel almost naked. Even when I wore the clothes Arthur gave me, I at least had a collar buttoned up all the way. I wonder absently if, before I came to Selphia, I ever took that collar off.

Secretly, I find myself proud that I am doing things differently than the me before I came to Selphia would have. I feel like I'm becoming my own person, by making these changes about myself, even if they’re small.

After I care for my farm and my few cluckadoodles and buffamoos, I stop in to see Venti.

“Did the town hold up without me yesterday?” I ask haughtily, raising my eyebrows at Venti.

She laughs in my face, standing up taller to retort. “As if the town needs you when we have I, the Divine Wind!”

I roll my eyes. “And who was it that saved that girl from the forest, again? Oh yeah – it was me!” I point both thumbs at my chest, grinning a million G smile.

“Alright, I'll give you that much.” Venti smiles softly, “I like your outfit by the way. Did you buy that yesterday on your date with Arthur?”

“For the last time, it wasn't a date!”

“Really? He even walked you home last night in the wee hours of the morning. What were you two up to that you got home so late, I wonder?”

My face heats up like a tomato, remembering the moments I shared with Arthur that made my heart race. There were too many of them, to be honest.

“I see you don't kiss and tell. Well, anyway –”

“We didn't kiss!” I shout agitatedly.

“Anyway, I do have a favor to ask of you. A rather large one, to be honest.”

“What is it, Venti?”

“You recall I told you that your powers as an Earthmate are what saved that girl from the forest?”

I nod slowly.

“I lied when I said I didn't know why she was there. Frey, a long time ago, I was very weak. The runes were stagnant and not flowing. The Earthmates of that time searched for a way to increase my strength and assist the runes in flowing, but they were only able to find a temporary solution.”

Ventuswill's face looks somber, for once. She looks down at the ground while she speaks to me. “And what does that have to do with her?”

“Their solution was to use humans – my friends, specifically – and their love as a channel for the runes. Four of my friends have been trapped for hundreds of years. Only an Earthmate can break the spell created by another Earthmate. I need you to save the other three of them. Bring them home to me, Frey.”

“I–” I start to speak, but Venti cuts me off.

“I know I'm asking a lot of you. But Frey, you are the first friend I've made in a long time. These happy moments with you have made me realize I need to do right by them. I need to save the Guardians, but I need your help.”

“I'll do it, Venti. I'd do anything for you.” I say honestly. “But… If the Guardians are what is keeping the runes flowing, what will happen to you after we save all of them?”

Venti shakes her head. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that we get them home. I can worry about that later.”

I nod slowly. It’s clear I’m not going to get her to change her mind on the matter. Besides, this is something that’s so important to her. I can understand wanting to save her friends, who’ve been trapped for hundreds of years.

“Thank you, Frey. You might have heard some cries in the middle of the night; the townsfolk have been speaking about it. I think it’s Dylas. He needs you most right now; I think he must be in terrible anguish to be crying out like that. He’s the guardian who is being bound in the ancient water temple. It’s not far from Yokmir Forest. If you go there and fight his monster form like you did Amber’s, then you’ll save him, too.”

“Is that her name? Amber?”

“Yes, but she won’t remember me. I’ve locked away her memories, for now. I don’t want her to have to remember all of the bad things. Just the good. She’ll be happy here in Selphia, without any burdens.” A tear slides down Venti’s cheek. “Please don’t tell her.”

“I won’t, Venti. You have my word.” I wrap my arms around her neck and we stay there like that for a while.

“Why don’t you go check up on Amber? She should be waking up today.” Venti then pushes me out of her chambers and into the town square with her tail.  
Just as I enter the town square, Forte spots me and starts walking over purposefully. “Princess, I’m glad you’re here. The girl has woken up in the clinic. Shall we go?”

 

When we enter the clinic, Amber is sitting up in her bed, squirming as Jones tries to examine her. Arthur is waiting off to the side, and Illuminata and Porco are there, too. Jones greets us all once we’re inside.

“I'm glad you all could make it. It seemed only fitting that you three be here, since you were the ones who saved her.” 

We all nod, looking over to Amber, who is sitting up in the hospital bed, squirming around anxiously. It looks like she wants to be allowed to get up, but Jones probably won't let her.

Her eyes widen when she sees me. “You're the one with the funny face!”

I laugh. “Yes, that’s me. My name is Frey, I’m the Princess of this town. What’s your name?” I ask. Mentioning her name would be bad, considering I’m supposed to keep quiet about her relationship with Venti.

“My name's Amber! I'm a fairy!” As she shouts this, a pair of butterfly wings sprout from her back, and a cute pair of antennae dangle above her head.

“Wings?!” I shout, surprised.

Amber shoots up out of the bed with the assistance of her wings. She lands back down atop the covers, giggling at her ability. “I can fly!”

I look over to Jones and see he has a concerned look on his face. “Why don't we hold off on flying until I can look you over and make sure you're healthy?” He suggests.

“Okay,” Amber pouts, and the wings vanish as quickly as they came. The antennae stick around for a few moments longer, before they, too, disappear.

Jones calls Nancy down from upstairs, and has her look over Amber.

 

Not soon after, Amber has been given a clean bill of health and she’s had some additional visitors, as well. Porcoline and Illuminata looked like they might get into a fight over who gets to take in Amber for a moment, but it was settled quickly when we all noticed how well Amber and Illuminata click together. It seems to be a good match, since Amber loves nature and flowers. 

Once I'm confident that Amber is in good hands, Arthur, Forte, and I all exit the clinic. 

Amber, being a new resident here in Selphia, needs to get residency papers filled out so she’s in our town’s records. I had to do the same, but of course there was a little bit of trickery involved in filling out my paperwork, being that it’s a bit of a secret that I’m the acting Princess. Thus, Arthur’s paperwork shows his Prince status, and mine shows me as a standard resident – but I am the one doing all of the princely duties, like making sure new residents fill out the proper paperwork.

I head over to the butler's quarters to collect the necessary papers for Amber's moving process from Volkanon, and am alarmed when he hands me a heavy, thick stack. He also gives me the royal gold seal, a wax stick, a candle, and matches.

“Being a Princess is not all fun and games now is it, Miss Frey?” Volkanon laughs boisterously.

“No, I suppose not. But someone has to do it, right?”

“Correct! Please ask myself or Arthur for some help if you have any questions about the paperwork, Princess.” He bows and I flash him a smile, double checking that I have all of the papers I need. It's a myriad of forms that I'm probably going to need some help from Arthur with. There's change of residence forms, adoption forms, applications for permanent residence in Selphia, and more. I carry the heavy stack with me over to Illuminata's home in order to address the matter quickly.

I’ve always liked Illuminata’s shop. It’s two stories, with the flower shop on the ground floor and her residence upstairs. There’s two bedrooms inside which up until now, has only had one occupied. Behind the home is a small greenhouse where she can grow out of season crops year-round, and rows of beautiful, fragrant flowers growing next to it which are always freshly glistening with dew. I walk into the shop after admiring the flowers for another moment, and find it empty, so I walk up the stairs to her home and gingerly knock on the door. She opens up after just a moment, with Amber peeking out behind her.

“Hi, Illuminata. I brought some royal forms that need to be filled out. Do you have time to look over them with Amber and I?”

“Yeah, sure thing, Princess. Amber and I were just having a snack.”

Illuminata sets out a cup of tea for me and a small plate for me to take from the platter of biscuits on the dining table. We all sit at the table together and I put down the stack of papers with a small thump.

“Hi, Amber. I just have some forms and things we all need to fill out together, if you don't mind.”

“It’s fine, as long as I can eat my biscuits! These have flowers in them; can you believe it?! They’re really yummy!”

I bite into one to investigate the matter for myself and I do find the aroma of toyherbs to be surprisingly fragrant. It adds only a slight amount of flavor, but its aroma pairs nicely with the black tea, which I suspect also has some flowers added to its brew.

“Okay Amber, first things first, do you know how old you are?” I ask with a small smile. This was difficult for me when I had first come to Selphia. After some guesswork, Venti and I decided I was probably about twenty, maybe nineteen. I had to come up with a birthday for myself, too. I tried to pick one far away, so I didn’t have to worry about it just then, so my new birthday is Winter 20th, just before the yearly celebrations Venti has told me the people of Norad participate in.

Having never heard of the festivals and events the entire country celebrates had put a crease in Arthur’s brow. Every now and again he would prod me with light questions. If I’m not from Norad, perhaps I was from the Republic of Eucraft? But I was so shocked by Jozef’s name, and I knew nothing of their traditions, either. It’s as if I came out of thin air, on an airship that never really existed in the first place. There were no records to follow, no leads on my identity. And honestly, I think I prefer it that way.

Amber’s speech startles me a little out of my train of thought as she quickly begins to answer my question. 

“Um–” She speaks quickly like she knows and is about to answer, but then she stops short. “I don't know.” She admits sheepishly.

“Do you think you could make a guess for me?” I ask.

“Maybe, thirteen? Or twelve? Or fourteen? I don't know.” She says honestly. “I feel like I should know!” Her face scrunches up in anger and she bangs her fist on the table forcefully, but it doesn't shake much because of her small stature.

“If it makes you feel any better Amber, I didn’t know how old I was when I first moved here to Selphia, either. I had forgotten everything, so I even had to make up a birthday for myself. It’s okay to feel frustrated.”

“Well, at least I can remember my birthday. It’s Spring 26th!” Her comment is a little unintentionally insensitive, and I have to stop myself from wincing at it. Instead, I try and focus on the positive.

“That’s great, Amber. We’ll estimate you to be thirteen, then, if that’s okay with you? We can pick a different age if you want, of course.”

“Thirteen sounds good, I guess.” I nod and write down the information in the required spaces.

“Now Illuminata, since Amber's a minor, she's going to need someone to be her legal guardian. I know you offered to have Amber move in with you, but are you willing to become her guardian too?” I ask Illuminata, turning all of my attention to her.

“Yes, I'd like to have someone to look after. I think it'll be a fun adventure! Won't it, Amber?”

Amber nods with a small smile, back to eating her biscuit.

I continue filling out the adoption and residency forms, allowing Illuminata to sign where necessary. There are documents necessary for proof of identity like Amber's birth certificate or other options, but since she literally just came out of thin air, I'm not sure what to do about that.

After a little while of writing, I’ve finished my tea and we’ve filled out everything we can with the information I have. I say my goodbyes to Amber and Illuminata, and since I’ve completed all I can with the papers and I’m unsure how to continue, I decide to go over to Arthur’s office to get some help.

I stop at home first to pick up Arthur’s jacket, which I had inadvertently slept in last night. Vishnal didn’t say anything when he woke me this morning, but I wonder if he noticed it. I hope he isn’t spreading any rumors, if he did!

I knock on the door to Arthur’s office before opening it. “Hi, Arthur. Sorry to bother you.”

“Hello, Princess. What can I do for you?” He looks up at me from his work on his desk.

“I brought back your jacket, and I have these royal forms that need to be filled out since Amber's going to be living here in Selphia, like what you had to fill out for my residency. I filled out what I could, but it wants a birth certificate or some kind of proof that she exists, and we don't have any... I don't exactly know what to do.” I hand over the jacket and he drapes it over the back of his chair. In lieu of the long windbreaker he always wears, since I had it, today he wears a form fitting military-style jacket over one of his usual collared shirts. He’s also wearing a red tie tied tightly at his throat. It matches the red earrings that we purchased yesterday, and I wonder if he wore the tie purposely to draw attention to them.

“I see. Can I take a look at those documents?” Arthur reaches a hand out for the documents and I hand them to him. He hefts them onto his desk and then takes off his glasses to clean them before he looks at them.

I think this is the first time I've seen him with no glasses on. Without the glasses framing his face, he looks much more soft and delicate. His red eyes seem to shine even brighter without the glasses in the way, matching his glistening earrings and bright, blood red tie. It could just be shock from having never seen him without glasses on, but my heart starts to beat faster and I feel a blush creep up on my cheeks.

He places the glasses back on his face and looks down at the papers, scanning to see if I've filled everything out. “Thank you for taking the initiative to do these. It saves me some time.” He lets a small smile creep across his face, “I had actually penciled in time to do these myself. I suppose I'll get to retire a little early tonight.”

Arthur goes over to a filing cabinet and pulls out some more documents, filling them out himself using the information provided on the forms I had already filled out with Amber and Illuminata. “We actually have a special form for when strange things happen such as this. Not everything can be explained, obviously. It’s the same form I filled out for you, so this should do it for Amber's documentation. Once you seal these I can have them sent off to the capital for filing.”

He stacks the papers, making sure they're arranged neatly before handing them back to me. “Could you show me how to properly do it again? Last time I got the wax all over the paper... I don't want it to look like it wasn't done by you, since you're supposed to be the prince, and all...”

“I suppose it wouldn't do to have messy royal seals on Selphia's documents. Come here, I've been doing these for a long time. Once you get the hang of it, it really isn't difficult.”

I hand the papers back to Arthur and he motions for me to come over to his side of the desk. He stands from his chair and arranges the desk so his papers are no longer littering the desktop. I place the seal materials on the desk so he can show me how it works. He inserts the documents into several different envelopes, and primes the envelopes so they are ready to be sealed shut. 

Arthur then lights the candle, which is now standing upright on the desk. He lets it burn as he unwraps the stick of red wax from its paper covering at the edge. 

“You have to rotate the wax stick quickly over the candle so it softens without dripping into the candle or onto the desk. Then once it's soft enough, you must quickly transfer it onto the envelope without dripping wax anywhere. Over the opening, press the wax down in a circle and then press the stamp into the wax pool. Hold it there for several seconds, and then carefully remove it.”

I nod, and he hands me the wax stick. In order to reach across the table to twirl the wax stick over the candle, my side has to press against his, and I'm reminded of last night on the airship: how close he was to me on the bed while I ran my fingers through his hair. The feeling was so intimate that in remembering it, I lose focus while rotating the wax stick over the candle to the point that it keeps almost dripping all over. After the third close call, Arthur reaches over and wraps his hand around mine to help me spin the wax faster, showing me how to properly do it.

“Okay, it looks soft enough. Now quickly transfer it to the spot where we're going to place the seal.”

His hand stays connected to mine as I transfer the wax seal, and I wait for the wax to drip onto the envelope's open edge. “Press it down, Frey.” He pushes the wax into the paper and it melts, creating a puddle.

“Sorry,” I say, embarrassed that I had forgotten his directions already. We place the wax stick to the side on the table, face up so it doesn't get melted wax on the wood grain, and I take the royal seal and press it firmly into the pool of wax, waiting for it to cool some before removing it like Arthur told me to. 

I do the rest of the seals myself with Arthur’s supervision, proud that I manage to get them all done correctly. Once they've dried, Arthur collects them all and places them in a large manilla envelope. “I'll mail these to my father tomorrow. Thank you for doing the paperwork for me, Frey.”

Arthur smiles at me kindly and then sits back down at his desk, getting right back to work.

Before the moment can pass and I lose the courage to, I ask, “Have you eaten yet, Arthur?”

“No, but I'm not very hungry. I'll be fine, thank you.”

I frown and cross my arms, looking at him. He's already turned his head back down to his work. “When was the last time you ate?”

He pauses in thought for a moment, then answers. “It was dinner with you, in Celsa. It was quite a hearty meal; I can assure you I'll be fine until dinner.”

I roll my eyes. “Well, I haven't eaten breakfast either. All I’ve had today is a biscuit and some tea with Illuminata and Amber, so you should join me at Porcoline's for brunch! I'm sure you'll end up staying up just as late tonight anyway even though you don’t have to, to get a head start on tomorrow's work or something. Why not actually enjoy some free time?”

Arthur blushes and looks away as I mention his workaholic tendencies. It seems I've caught him red-handed. I grab him by the upper arm and hoist him out of his chair, dragging him into Porcoline's restaurant through the side door.

“Hi, Porco! Table for two, please!”

“Ultra-hello, Princess Frey! How did you manage to get my lovely Arthy-poo out here? Did you blackmail him?” Porco's eyelashes flutter dramatically as he asks me, making me smile mirthfully.

“Sheer use of force!” I say cheerily, my hand still gripping his arm. I seat the two of us at a small table on the nearest side of the restaurant.

Arthur and I look over the menu while Porco goes to attend to the others eating.

“Have you gotten a chance to show Jozef’s soaps to Lin Fa yet? I know you were excited about possibly getting a business relationship formed between the two of them.”

“Yes actually, I went over there early this morning so that she and Xiao Pai might have a chance to try the soaps themselves before it got too busy over there. She was delighted with the soaps, and I was sure to leave detailed instructions in case things go awry… I think I’ll pop back over later this afternoon to see what she thinks.”

“Well I hope it goes well! I’d love to have access to Jozef’s soaps at the baths all the time! I don’t think I’d use anything else if I had the option, honestly.”

“That reminds me, I did get you a bar of the coffee grounds soap that you seemed to enjoy so much yesterday. It’s in my room upstairs - do remind me to get it for you before you go.”

“Thank you Arthur, you didn’t have to do that! You’ve already done so much for me.”

“It was my pleasure, Princess.” Arthur says amicably. He tilts his head slightly to the right and lets a small smile form on his lips.

I smile too, and a comfortable silence is just beginning to form when Porcoline comes over to take our orders. I get french toast with a side of fruits and a glass of orange juice, and Arthur gets a bowl of fruit yogurt and some toast, with tea on the side.

After we order, I see Arthur’s hand twitch towards his notebook, seemingly itching to look at it.

“No work,” I say sternly. “What is even in that notebook, anyway?”

“It's a runic notebook that contains my schedule. If someone I'm meeting with cancels, the notebook automatically rearranges my schedule so it is most efficient. I can also, of course, arrange it at my leisure. It's one less thing that I have to do, so it's very handy.”

“Is that the same technology that's in the order tablet?”

“The very same, although the order tablet is far more advanced than my notebook. It's also in the request box.”

“Wow. Runes are really awesome, huh?”

“Yes, they are literally our lifeblood. Without them, we would have no crops, and we would die out, too.” 

While we are busy waxing philosophic, Porcoline comes over with our meals and sets our plates down with a flourish. “Here you are, my darlings!”

Arthur's tea is suspiciously nearly empty, so I make Porco go grab him a new drink. Once everything's at the table, we can dig in. My french toast looks delicious, coated in syrup with a dollop of butter on top. There's even powdered sugar around the plate. I dump the fruit bowl on top of the french toast so I can eat them all together and begin cutting away at my french toast.

“Thank you for dragging me out here, Frey. Porcoline's cooking is always so delicious.” Arthur sighs happily as he takes a bite of the yogurt. There's even honey drizzled over the top.

He looks at me for a moment, hesitates, then reaches across the table to wipe at my cheek. I feel the soft pad of his thumb as he grazes it across my cheek.

“Sorry, you had some powdered sugar on your cheek.” He blushes some and tries to busy himself by biting into his toast.

“Oh, thanks! That stuff gets everywhere.”

“It really does. I was debating just leaving it there on your cheek because you were just too cute!” This time, he somehow doesn't blush at all and instead I am the one with red growing on my cheeks.

“Arthur,” I plead desperately, “A Princess shouldn’t be getting stuff all over her cheeks! That’s not cute!”

“Sure it can be! Just like princes can be workaholics who don’t know how to have any fun.” He winks at me, poking a jab at what I said about him earlier.

He continues further with the assault on cuteness, making me blush even deeper and sink into my seat.

“Who knew powdered sugar would become the next best accessory? I'll have to report my findings immediately.”

“Arthur, please, stop,” I plead desperately, taking a long drink of my orange juice in an attempt to calm myself.

“Stop what?” He asks innocently, a smile gracing his lips.

“Oh, you know what you're doing!”

“Yes, well, I always did find various shades of red to be most appealing – and right now I'd say you're in the same league as a tomato!”

I bury my face in my hands, trying to cool my hot cheeks with my cool palms. After this he ceases his teasing and we settle into a comfortable silence as we eat our brunch. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long until we are interrupted.

“Arthur, are you voluntarily eating lunch in the restaurant?” Meg comes up to our table, two hands comically attached to her cheeks in shock.

“Brunch, actually. And no, I was forcibly removed from my office by our Princess, here.”

I laugh at Arthur's bluntness. “Hi, Meg. Are you here for lunch or for work?”

“An early lunch before I start my shift. Mind if I join you guys?”

Before Meg is even done asking, she has already pulled up a chair to our small table. I look over at Arthur, disappointed that our brunch is no longer just the two of us, even if half of it was him teasing me.

He seems to be a little disappointed too, but he quickly hides it behind a friendly smile that he directs towards Meg.

“Oh, Meg, I just remembered! I have your sweater in my bedroom. Is it alright if I come by later after work and drop it off at your house?” I ask.

“Of course, Frey. If you want, we can hang out and have drinks together! Porcoline just showed me how to make smoothies and I’ve been dying to have one lately!”

“That sounds like fun! I’ll come by later then, maybe around 8 o’clock?”

“Sure, that sounds great. You guys went to Celsa yesterday, right? How was your trip?”

Meg's food comes as Arthur begins to answer, so he lets her get situated before he starts talking.

“It was a very long day, but overall very fun. I took Frey to meet a business partner of mine who makes artisanal soaps, and then we saw a play and visited an open air market before doing the shopping that Frey actually wanted to visit the capital to do.”

“Wow, you guys did a lot! I haven’t seen a play since I left the Elven Kingdom to live here. That must have been fun! Maybe I’ll have to go see one sometime, too.”

“The play was so good, Meg! Arthur actually had to tell me to lean back in my seat, because I was leaning forward to pay better attention since I liked it so much! Maybe we can go together sometime.”

“I’d love that! Maybe Forte would like to come too, as long as we don’t pick something with ghosts in it.”

Soon enough we're finished eating and it’s time for us to part ways. Arthur is the first to stand. “Thank you for joining me for brunch, Margaret, Frey.” Arthur nods to each of us. “I'm afraid I’ve got to get back to work now. Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies.”

“Arthur, didn’t you say to remind you about the soap from Jozef?” I ask before he leaves.

“Oh, of course! How rude of me. I’ll go get that now, if you don’t mind accompanying me? It will only take a moment.”

I nod. I’m finished with my meal, anyway. “Sorry, Margaret. I’ll see you tonight!” 

Meg looks slowly from Arthur and then back to me, probably wondering what we were talking about. I’m sure I’ll get quizzed about this later tonight. She waves goodbye to the two of us and Arthur and I walk into his office and up the stairs to his bedroom.

Arthur’s room is in its typical state of half messy, half obsessively clean when he opens the door. I follow him in, unsure if I should shut the door behind me.

“I really like your tie, today, Arthur. It really brings out the red in your eyes!” I say with a smile. “And you’re wearing the earrings we bought yesterday, aren’t you? Do you have a special occasion to be dressed so nicely today?”

Arthur nods with a small smile, graciously accepting my compliment. “Ah yes, I am still wearing the earrings. I had completely forgotten to take them out when we returned last night. I suppose you could say that I do have occasion, yes. I am meeting with a prospective client today. He’ll be arriving later this afternoon. Without my usual jacket I felt like I needed to keep my appearance looking nice, and the scarf didn’t look quite right with this outfit, hence the tie. Without it I looked too informal, I think.”

Arthur turns to his table full of tchotchkes and takes the soap, wrapped in soap paper with a golden sticker on top, and holds it out to me. “I saw how much you enjoyed it, so I just couldn’t resist getting you a piece. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, I really appreciate it! Thank you, again. It smells so good; I can’t wait to use it.” I smile and take the soap into my hands, turning it over in a nervous tick. I suppose now would be a good time to leave, but I find I’m not quite ready to leave Arthur’s presence.

“Well, I do of course have work to attend to, so I must get back to it.” Arthur has what I hope to be a regretful smile on his face, and he ushers me to the door. “Thank you for taking me for brunch, Frey. It was delicious, as always. I’ll see you later.”

I bid goodbye to Arthur with a small pout present on my face and see myself out, turning the coffee soap over in my hands as I walk back home.

 

For the rest of the day I tend to my crops, and find myself whispering little nothings to them, to soothe both their and my souls. I hope they can hear me. Something in my heart tells me that with my being an Earthmate, talking to the crops is a natural, wondrous thing.

When I’m close to being finished caring for my crops, Meg comes by to take me to make smoothies. She watches as I finish watering my last crops, and pull the last few weeds, after getting her sweater back from inside.

“You’re so good at farming, Frey! Better than even Illuminata with her flowers, I’d say. You have a natural talent!”

“Oh, it’s nothing really. I just do my best.” I say, continuing to pull at the last of the weeds.

“Whatever you say, but Porco’s always asking to buy your vegetables now. He says they’re his favorite.”

“Well that’s very kind of him. I’m not sure if I can keep up with his demand, though. Between how much he eats and supplying the restaurant, I’d need a lot more fields!”

Over at Porcoline’s, it’s just us, since the dinner rush is already over. She pulls out the blender and has me pick out some ingredients. Meg decides to make me a drink with a pink melon, since I haven’t tried one yet. I see her add strawberries, bananas, milk, and ice, too. She presses a couple of buttons on the blender, steadily increasing the speed while holding the top on.

I watch as the foods turn into mush – but it’s not quite a smooth juice, either. “Smoothies are so good! Here, try it!” Meg pours it into a big glass and hands me a straw to sip it with. It’s thick and rich. It tastes like all of the fruit, but blended in a not at all unpleasant way.

“Wow, I think this needs to be next on my list of kitchen appliances to buy from Porcoline…” I say, continuing to sip on my smoothie.

“Right?!” Meg exclaims, happily sipping on her own smoothie. “They’re so good! I’m totally addicted!”

“Hey Meg, I know we only got together for a quick smoothie break, but would you like to have a sleepover sometime? I think it’d be fun.” I ask somewhat shyly, unsure if she would like to do something like that or not.

“Yeah, of course! We can make more smoothies and have some girl talk. That sounds like fun! And maybe another time, we could have one with all of the girls!”

“Excellent idea, Meg.” I say with a smile.

As we sip at our smoothies at a table in the empty restaurant, Porcoline comes down from upstairs.

“Miss Frey! How good to see you! I’ve been meaning to ask, why aren’t you signed up for the cooking festival? All you have to do is bring a main dish! I was so surprised to see our Princess isn’t entering, but I thought surely it must be a mistake?” Porcoline runs over and takes my hands into his, looking at me with stars twinkling in his large eyes.

“Oh, I had forgotten about the cooking festival, what with how busy it’s been! I’d love to enter, of course, Porcoline.”

“Oh thank goodness, Princess! I was so worried! I expect good things from you!”

And that was how I got entered in the cooking festival. That night, I stayed up thinking of recipes, trying new ones out with the few ingredients I had, but nothing seemed right. Then, of course, I realized I already had a good recipe, and I had made it myself, to boot. I hope everyone else likes it too, and not just Arthur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing the brunch scene with Arthur! I hope it was just the right amount of fluff. Happy New Year!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey overworks herself while preparing to save Dylas from the Water Ruins.

Hello, everyone. I am very sorry for the wait, but I am more happy that this chapter is done! A horrible combination of work, tests, and a bit of writer's block kept me from finishing, but here it is and I don't hate it anymore :) We went a little bit off-track from my outline but that just means more writing for you all :) I hope you enjoy reading this chapter - I know it's been a long time coming!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After planting new rows of crops and caring for my farms and animals, the time for the cooking festival arrives. I smile when I step outside of the castle and see the banners hung high in Selphia’s town square: ‘SELPHIA’S BI-ANNUAL COOKING FESTIVAL’, they read proudly. Porcoline is set up at a table outside, with seating for participants near him and seating for those watching, as well. I imagine nearly everyone who lives in town will attend, as well as some travelers who are staying at Lin Fa’s inn currently. Porcoline instructed me to make sure I make enough food for everyone to sample, so I bring with me a large serving platter full of my pickled turnip onigiri.

I place it on the display table next to the sign bearing my name (which, embarrassingly, reads ‘Princess Frey’ with a little crown to dot the ‘i’) and take a seat with the rest of the entrants. My competition includes Granny Blossom, Kiel, Doug, Amber, and Meg. Porcoline was refraining from entering so he could judge (and eat all of the entries, I imagine).

After everyone takes their seats, we begin. Porcoline takes a look at everyone’s plates, judging their presentation, and then he and Arthur begin to hand out sampling plates to everyone with a bit of each entrant’s food. I eat everyone’s entries, honestly enjoying each one. Amber’s entry is a salad with edible flowers and raisins. The sweetness of the raisins really goes well with the fragrance of the flowers. Doug’s entry, unsurprisingly, has rice in it. It’s curry on a bed of pearly white sticky rice, and I have a feeling that Granny Blossom helped him get it just right. Granny Blossom’s entry is a homely meatloaf, covered in a helping of warm ketchup, and Meg’s entry is a strawberry and pineapple smoothie, with a drizzle of honey on top.

As we are all eating the samplings, Porcoline discusses the flavors of each dish as he eats them, giving his compliments. No one gets any criticism, but that is unsurprising considering Porcoline’s kind personality and his penchant to eat just about everything in sight.

Once we are all done, Porcoline slams his dish down and announces with vigor: “I’ve decided the winners!” Everyone falls silent, listening for the announcement. “In first place! Granny Blossom, with her meatloaf! In second place! Our Princess Frey, with her pickled turnip onigiri! And in third place! Amber, with her floral salad!” 

Everyone claps, giving a standing ovation. Granny Blossom, Amber, and stand I in a line going from first to third place. Porcoline hands us each a trophy and Arthur takes a photo of the three of us, smiling with one arm wrapped around each other’s shoulders, the other proudly gripping our trophies.

After this, everyone begins making the motions to leave, but I call out to the crowd before they can disperse.

“I’m sorry everyone, but may I please have your attention!” The crowd falls silent to my authority as Princess. It’s a little strange, being able to do that, but I press on. “As you all know, my duty as acting Princess means taking care of the citizens of Selphia, and serving The Divine Wind, Ventuswill. It has recently come to my attention that there are more people like Amber – people who are trapped as monsters. I will free them using my powers as an Earthmate, and bring them home to Selphia! Please support me in this endeavor, and understand that I may be gone for long hours while training! If you have any concerns and I am not available, please direct them to Mr. Volkanon, or his butlers-in-training, Vishnal and Clorica. That is all!” 

The crowd claps, and a few people come up to me to thank me. It feels a weird, having my neighbors thank me for my dedication to our home. But at the same time, I also feel very grateful to be able to do something for our small town. 

After the cooking festival, I display my trophy proudly in my room and go over to Granny Blossom’s to buy some more seeds. Doug is manning the counter, and I greet him with a smile.

“Doug, your curry rice was delicious today! Did you make that all on your own?” I’m positive I already know the answer to that, but I’d like to flatter him a little. He didn’t win a place, after all.

Dough laughs, scratching the back of his head. “Nah, Granny helped me make it. I did the rice all on my own, though. Perfectly sticky, right?”

“Yes, it was great! Keep up the good work.” I say.

“I heard your announcement after the contest. Are you really planning on going out there and fighting all of those monsters?” Doug asks.

“Yes. There’s people out there who are trapped as monsters, like Amber. I have to save them – I’m the only one who can.” It seems obvious to me, why I should go help these strangers. But the look on Doug’s face says otherwise.

“You shouldn’t trust her. Don’t go to the Water Ruins – I know that’s where you’re headed next.”

“Don’t trust who?” I ask.

“You know damn well who I’m talking about. Stay away from the ruins.” Doug’s tone of voice leaves no room for argument, but I scoff at his audacity to boss me around like this.

“I’m sorry Doug, but you have no right to intervene in my royal duties.” I let out a long breath, a little surprised at how exasperated I am. “Jeez, now I don’t even want to buy anything from you anymore. I’ll see you around.” I storm out of the General Store, slamming the door shut behind me. I hear the bell on the door ring erratically and I begin speed-walking towards the castle in frustration, when I run into Forte.

“Princess! Good afternoon!” Forte greets me, taking her helmet off in respect. I’ve always thought it was a little silly of her to ruin her hair by taking off her helmet when she greets me, but this is one thing Forte will not budge on.

“Hi, Forte. How are you doing?” I ask.

“Great, thank you. I heard your declaration today after the cooking festival. Does this have something to do with the noises everyone has been hearing lately?”

I shake my head slowly. “I don’t know of any noises. What are you talking about?” 

“People have been hearing noises late at night. Some people think it sounds like someone’s crying, others think it sounds like a horse whinny… I thought maybe it might be the monster you need to fight.” 

“Good idea, Forte. I’ll have to talk to Venti – I mean, Ventuswill about that.”

“I-If you don’t mind, Princess, I’d like to accompany you on your mission!” Forte stammers, laying her hand over her heart in a sign of respect.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Forte.” I say with a smile. 

\---

Venti looks very tired when I stop in to visit her. It’s not that she hasn’t been tired before, but she has never quite looked so exhausted. When she realizes I’m there, she perks up suddenly, putting on a smile – which just makes me frown, because I know she’s faking it.

“Okay, Venti. What’s wrong?”

“What are you talking about?” She asks, still smiling perkily, “I was just getting ready to take a nap, is all. Nothing’s wrong.”

“Cut it out, Venti. You looked exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but thank you, Frey. Congratulations on your win at the cooking festival!” Venti rubs her snout against my cheek affectionately. I reach up and brush my hand against her head, but I’m not letting go of my suspicions just yet.

“I came here to ask about your friend that I’m going to go save… But you mentioned that they are channeling the runes for you, didn’t you? Is saving them hurting you?”

Venti looks away from me, pain in her eyes. “It’s not hurting me, per se. I have to work harder to move the runes with Amber gone, which makes me tired. Your runes are helping a little, though, Frey. Your farming is helping keep the runes flowing through Selphia. Once all of the guardians have been saved, it will be harder to keep the runes flowing. The Earthmates were looking for a way to keep the runes flowing without the guardians, but they never succeeded, and now no one has heard from them in hundreds of years.”

I look up at Venti, tears brimming at the corners of my eyes. “But –” My voice cracks as the tears spill over my eyes. I latch onto Venti’s neck, rubbing her scales affectionately. “You’ll be okay, right, Venti? You’re a Divine Dragon, you can’t leave, right?”

Venti smiles softly, brushing her snout up against my face. “I’m not going anywhere, my brave Princess. Please, save Dylas. Worry about me later, okay?”

I nod stiffly, wiping the tears from my eyes. I need to focus on saving Dylas. He needs help. “Apparently people have been hearing noises lately at night. Do you think it’s Dylas?”

Venti shakes her head and snorts. “He’s always been a sensitive one. I guess you had better go help him as soon as you can.”

\---

That evening, I head into the Water Ruins with Forte by my side, dressed in my new clothes that I purchased for combat, as well as the leather armor pieces that Bado had gifted me. The moisture-wicking fabric and ease of movement I have with them on is particularly awesome. Frey and I push through the Water Ruins, fighting Goblins (cousins of the Orcs, according to Forte) and Sky Fish, which are apparently fish that can somehow breathe air and fly. 

I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one. Their ability to shoot powerful bursts of water in particular might be even more alarming, though.

Forte and I practice fighting the enemies in the Water Ruins until evening comes. By ten o’clock, I am huffing and puffing and Forte demands we call it a night. She suggests that I should upgrade my weapon – I might be expending more energy than necessary to fight these monsters because my spear is not up to par.

Sure, it’s basic – a sharp arrowhead attached to a pole – but I think it does the job well.

“It’s too basic for these enemies. You need an elemental weapon perhaps, or one that is just able to do more base damage. Bado probably can’t help you, but you can make one yourself with some practice. He would be more than happy to sell you a forge and crafting table so you can make your own armor and weapons.”

“I didn’t know that was an option,” I say, confused. Shouldn’t the blacksmith be the one crafting the weapons and armor?

“Yes, it’s unconventional, but that’s Bado’s prerogative. When Bado won’t do his job, I have to make my own. That’s why I’m always yelling at him…” Forte sighs dramatically. “I think making your own would be your best bet. Especially if we need to fight many more of these monsters… I can only imagine it will only get harder from here on out.”

“Thanks, Forte. Let’s get out of here.” Forte and I grasp each other’s hands and we cast Escape to return to the gates of Selphia.

“I’m going to the baths. Will I see you in there?” Forte asks. 

“Maybe in a little bit. I’ve got something to do, first.” I say, waving goodbye to Forte. I wait until she has disappeared down the road to walk over to the Meanderer Blacksmith’s Shop.

I knock first before opening the unlocked door to the shop. Bado is asleep on his couch, snoring. He’s still in his clothes from the daytime, too.

“Bado!” I hiss, not wanting to be too loud so as to startle him awake. I lightly shake his shoulder, but he doesn’t move, except for a trail of drool escaping the corner of his mouth.

Gross. “Bado!” I try again, louder this time. I shake both of his shoulders until he wakes up, comically sitting up ramrod straight.

“Hello?!” Bado shouts, looking left and then right before setting his eyes on mine. “Princess? What d’ya want?”

I step back out of his personal space and Bado rubs at his eyes sleepily. “I need you to sell me a forge and a crafting table.” I say seriously.

“Right now?” Bado asks incredulously.

“Yes! I will probably need your help carrying everything back to the castle, so I woke you up. Otherwise I would have just left the money on your counter.”

Bado sighs dramatically and stands up slowly from the couch. “Alright,” He says gruffly.

I hand him the amount in question and he disappears into a back room, returning with a heavy cast-iron furnace. He plants it down on the floor by the front door before returning back with an anvil, a large wooden table, and various tools.

“I can carry the table!” I say confidently.

“Yeah, leave me with all the heavy stuff, I get it.” Bado complains, picking up the anvil.

We walk together to the castle, and he places the anvil down in a corner where I gesture to an empty spot. I go to gather some wood from my storage box outside while he gets the forge, and stack it up beside where it will be sitting. When Bado slams down the forge onto the floor in my chambers it makes a loud thud; I hope it didn’t wake anyone up.

“Thank you, Bado!” I say happily.

“Why did you need this right now, exactly?” 

“I need to save the people trapped as monsters as soon as I can! I’ll need some time to practice forging my own weapons, so I think I might be pulling an all-nighter tonight. Thank you Bado! I’ve got to get to work, now.”

I push him out of my chambers hastily and lock the door behind him, turning back to my new forge with a wicked glint in my eyes.

The fire blazes hot and bright, and my hands get covered in soot even in spite of the heavy protective gloves I wear. Bado also left me with a book of weapons and instructions for making them, which I am so grateful for. I think if I tried to just make one without any guidance, it would probably snap in half just from looking at it.

By morning, I’ve crafted a few different types of weapons. A short sword, a pair of dual blades, a stronger spear, and even a large battle axe, which is probably the most terrifying thing I’ve made. I think I’ll be shipping that one. I’d probably hurt myself more than the monsters while wielding that.

By morning, I’ve also realized that I haven’t slept.

Vishnal walks into my room with a happy smile on at 6 AM, my typical wake-up hour, only to find me slaving over the spear on an anvil.

“P-Princess, you’re up early! Is that safe? Are you alright?!” Vishnal’s panic forces me to turn my attention away from the spear, so I stick it in the cold bucket of water next to the anvil so it’s shape is retained. I shut the damper on the furnace and turn my attention to him, taking off the protective eyewear and gloves.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry Vishnal, I thought that my quarters were sufficiently soundproofed that you wouldn’t hear anything…”

“Wake me? No, Princess, it’s time for you to wake up, but it seems you’ve beaten me to that today, haha…” Vishnal scratches at the back of his neck nervously, laughing lightly.

“Oh no! It’s six, isn’t it?” Realization dawns upon me at last.

“Yes, Princess, I’m afraid so. Don’t tell me you worked through the night on this?”

“I did…” I say guiltily. “I’m very tired. And dirty. I need to go take a bath…” I say drowsily, taking off the leather armor that I neglected to remove after returning last night.

Vishnal rushes over to my wardrobe and grabs me my basket of toiletries for the bathhouse. “Will you be going to bed after this, Princess? Would you like to take your pajamas with you, or day clothes?” Vishnal takes to helping me get ready quickly, perhaps to make up for not being able to wake me, since I didn’t go to bed last night.

“No, my crops.” I struggle to speak in the extreme fatigue that is taking over me. “I need to plant crops,” I manage to get out, and he piles a set of day clothes on top of my toiletry basket with a slightly disapproving look, ushering me into my rubber slippers and out the door.

“Don’t overwork yourself, Princess!” He calls out as I walk slowly over to the bathhouse.

I hand Lin Fa the two coins required for the bath without a word, too exhausted to make eye contact or speak. The baths are empty this early in the morning, so I sluggishly clean myself off and then take as long as I need in the baths, enjoying the way the hot water leeches the aches and pains out of my bones.

When I finally exit the baths, it’s well past seven, but at least I feel re-energized. In fact, I feel like I could get by for the day with just a little cat nap in the afternoon. Is this how Arthur does it? I think to myself absently.

It’s not until ten in the morning that I finish weeding, planting, and watering my crops. I start to feel sluggish by nine, but still somehow manage to whisper words of praise to each plant as I water them. Sometimes the leaves wiggle back at me in appreciation, which never fails to make me smile.

My stomach grumbles from a lack of sustenance. My last meal was a quick dinner last night while out at the water ruins with Forte, so I trudge my way over to Porcoline’s in search of some food. I’m not feeling as energetic as I thought I did when I exited the baths this morning, unfortunately. But surely I can manage to get through breakfast and then head back to the castle for bed, right?

Porcoline brings me some food alarmingly quickly and completely intact. Perhaps I’m more of a wreck than I thought, if Porcoline is noticing it too?

I eat the eggs and toast Porcoline brought out for me, but the more I eat, the more often I feel my eyelids slipping shut. I try and stop it, but I think my body’s had enough of my betrayal by now, and I feel my head hit the plate as I finally succumb to sleep.

I just hope nothing landed in the ketchup.

\---

I wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested, yawning in contentment. My bed is so soft I don’t even want to get up…

Wait.

My bed? 

The last thing I remember… I was eating breakfast at Porco’s.

My eyes shoot open. This isn’t my bed. I’m in Arthur’s room above Porco’s restaurant.

“Arthur?!” I shout, probably louder than I needed to. Arthur is sitting at his desk by the door of the bedroom, turned away from me as he focuses on some document.

“Oh, you’re awake. I hope you slept well, Miss Frey?” Arthur turns around in his desk chair, giving me one of his small charming smiles.

“Why am I in your bed?” I ask, sitting up. My shoulders feel cold and bare, so I look down. The shirt I was wearing is missing, leaving me with just the camisole underneath. “And where is my shirt?”

My hair is also in a state of disarray; I realize as I reach up to touch it. The pigtails are gone, leaving my hair down, but it’s messy from sleep and also feels a little crusty…

As I’m examining my hair, Arthur takes it upon himself to explain the situation.

“You fell asleep while eating your breakfast… Unfortunately, the ketchup got in your hair, which then transferred to your shirt… Porco brought it over to the castle to be washed. I do apologize for the invasion of your privacy.”

I blush at the implication. “At least I finally got some rest.”  
I’m curious if it was Arthur or Porco who took off my ketchup-covered shirt, but I’m way too embarrassed to ask.

“Vishnal came by while you were asleep. He told me you were up all night forging weapons. I’m not sure if I should be impressed or disappointed.” Arthur pauses, walking over to the side of the bed. He brushes his hand over my forehead, pushing back the hair that had gotten in my face. “I’m not exactly a good role model. I hope you aren’t following my example.”

“No, no, I just completely lost track of time! I was so invested in my work that the time just slipped away from me…”

Arthur smiles fondly. “I’m afraid the same happens to me far too often. Please make sure you’re getting the right amount of sleep from now on. I think you’ve proven you’re not quite the all-nighter type.”

“You’re so right. I am not the all-nighter type. I’m sorry about taking up residence in your bed…” I say, shifting to the edge of the bed to get up. The room is a bit small, so it’s a little cramped by the side of the bed. Arthur takes my hand, helping me stand. I’m nearly pressed up against him in his small bedroom, hair a mess and wearing only an undershirt and skirt… I wonder what Porcoline would say if he were to walk in right now.

But Arthur acts as though nothing is wrong, guiding me to the open area where his desk is situated with his hand on the small of my back. My heart flutters at his touch – I almost wish he wouldn’t do that all the time. He apologizes for not being able to wash the ketchup out completely from my hair, and recommends I make a stop at the baths before I continue my day. I can’t help but agree.

We stand there together in limbo; time seemingly slowed for the moment. Arthur takes my wrist in his hands, gently sliding my hairbands from his wrist to mine. With the hairbands gone from his wrist, I can see the faint pink lines they left behind. I trace them with my fingers for a second, and then pull away.

“Um, Arthur? Do you think I could borrow a jacket or a shirt to wear until I get back to the castle? This is a little revealing… and it’s a bit breezy out, too.”

Arthur hands me a soft short-sleeved shirt I’ve never seen him wear in a light green color. I pull it on over my undershirt. It’s large, but not unbearably so. Arthur adjusts the sleeve on my arm which had folded over itself when I pulled it on, and sends me on my way.

“Do remember not to overwork yourself. I hate to imagine that I’ve been a bad influence on you.”

I nod and smile, closing the door behind me. On the agenda for the remainder of the afternoon is fine-tuning my array of weaponry and taking another bath. 

Hopefully tonight I’ll still be able to sleep after that nap this afternoon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That feel when you finally update T___T On the bright side, I suspect the plot will be picking up in pace quite soon.

“Meg, I am so glad we’re doing this.” I say with a smile, dressed in my pajamas and sipping on a delicious strawberry smoothie. I adjust my position on Meg’s bed, getting comfortable as I swap stories with her.

“Me, too! I’m so happy you came to Selphia. Clorica, Xiao Pai, and Forte are usually too busy to get together for a sleepover. I know you’re busy, too, so thanks for coming.” 

“It means so much to me to have a friend who I can talk to. I’ll always make time to hang out with you, Meg.” I reach over to her and Meg pulls me into a fierce, one-armed hug, petting my long hair with one hand and precariously holding her blueberry smoothie with the other.

“I felt really lonely when I first moved here to Selphia. I had Porco, yeah, but I was also the only elf in town – this was before Illuminata moved here. When you came here, not being able to remember anything, being told you’re a princess… That must have been so hard. So I wanted you to feel at home! So you could be happy and surrounded by friends.”

“Thank you, Meg.” I say softly, tightening my hold on her with my unoccupied arm. “I still don’t really know much, and that can be really hard, some days. It can be difficult for me to keep smiling. I don’t really know what my life was like before this at all.” I sigh deeply.

Meg pulls away from the hug to look me in the eye. “But Frey, can’t you just ask your family? Like, um, your dad? The King? Have you guys been writing to each other?”

I sigh deeply. I’ve said too much, but I can trust her. “Meg, you can keep a secret, right?” 

Meg immediately thrusts out her hand, pinky finger extended. After my pinky promise with Arthur, I know what this gesture means. “I’d rather die than give up Frey’s secret! Lay it on me!”

An unstoppable grin unfurls across my lips, and I capture my pinky with hers in a lock. “I’m not a princess. I’m covering for someone and taking on the princess duties in secret. I just sort of, ended up here, and no one knows why or where I came from. I don’t know anything about my past. It’s all thanks to Ventuswill’s kindness that I’m able to say here as acting princess.”

Meg looks at me blankly for a few seconds, and then slowly, tears gather in the corners of her eyes. Her lip juts out in an adorably sad pout as one and then another tear falls down her cheeks. “That’s horrible! That’s so much worse than I thought you had it… I’m so sorry, Frey.”

“No, no! Don’t worry, Meg, it’s okay. Everyone here in Selphia is so kind. It’s the best support system I could have ever asked for. I’ve decided to stop worrying about my past life. I don’t care what it was like. I don’t know anyone from my past, and if they happen to show up on my doorstep, well they can just go back where they came from, because I like Selphia, and I like everyone here, and Arthur, and–”

“You like Arthur?!” Meg squeals, placing her and my smoothies on the bedside table so that she can squeeze me in joy. “Like, like like?”

“I – I guess I do. I’ve never really admitted it to myself, but…” My cheeks feel hot as I speak.

“But?!” Meg squeals again. “More details, please!”

“Well, whenever I’m near him, I always get this feeling, like butterflies in my stomach. He’s always making me blush, and doing such kind things for me…” I can barely get any more words out, I’m so embarrassed. I can’t make eye contact with Meg, so instead I bury my burning cheeks into her shoulder.

“Oh my gosh! When are you going to tell him?” Meg asks me excitedly.

“Tell him?! I am not telling him anything! And neither are you! I’m content with the way things are right now… I have enough on my plate.”

Meg’s pout is so huge it almost makes me feel guilty. “Yeah, I guess you do. You’re going to the water ruins tomorrow with Forte, right?”

I nod. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll think about telling him when all of this crazy monster-fighting stuff is done. It’s a lot… I don’t need to add romance in there, too.”

Meg laughs. “Yeah, I guess you’re right! Well whenever you’re ready to tell him, I’m going to be rooting for you! I’m sure he’ll sweep you right off of your feet when you confess! I’ve seen the looks he gives you…”

“What looks?!” I sputter.

“Frey, it’s a miracle if I can even get him to look up from his work! He just gives everyone – myself included – a cursory glance, and then he’s right back to work. But if I even mention your name, suddenly he's all ears.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, sure.”

“I'm not kidding! He looks at you like you have the entire night sky in your eyes!”

 

My cheeks burn as I take a long swig from my smoothie straw.

\---

The next morning, I wake up a little late after staying up all night chatting with Meg. It feels good to share my secret with her, and better yet, she hasn’t figured out that Arthur is the real prince. That, I think, would be a harder secret for her to keep.

After I’ve completed my morning chores, I meet up with Forte at the town’s main gates, ready for battle. This time, I’ve brought along a pair of twin daggers that I crafted, as well as a monster I befriended on our last venture into the water ruins. This giant bird, who I’ve named Wiggle (after the species’ strange name, Weagle), should prove to be helpful in battle. I plan on defeating that monster today, and bringing home Venti’s friend, Dylas.

These past few weeks’ hard work should be worth it. I haven’t had much time to spend with anyone, with the exception of Forte and the sleepover with Meg last night. I’ve been working steadily on my farm in the mornings, then spending some time on one of my many new hobbies, be it cooking, forging, or something else, and then later, in the afternoon until the evening, I train out in the water ruins. Now, finally, I think I’m strong enough. I’ve crafted some helpful accessories imbued with magic thanks to some help from Kiel, and I’ve even cleared out the junk from the room adjacent to my bedroom and turned it into a type of workroom. I’ve set up my kitchen there, and also have my forging materials and workbench in there, too. Hopefully soon I can convince Volkanon to help me repair and clean out another storage room on my side of the castle. Then I can have a proper dining room to share meals with friends – when I actually have the time for it, that is.

Wiggle is kind enough to let both Forte and I fly on her back to the water ruins from the gates of Selphia. Before we enter, Forte and I split an egg salad sandwich and some water to energize for the upcoming fight. We had already cleared the route to the area where we think the monster awaits us, so we just have to fight past a couple of goblins and then we can enter.

When we get to the entrance, we peer into the archway before entering. It’s dark inside, with torches dimly lit all around the walls. It looks empty, but we know by now that looks are deceiving. The torches must be magicked, to be lit constantly like that.

Forte and I nod towards one another, and I cast a rudimentary magical shield around each of us just as we enter.

Like we thought it would, the monster appears once we enter the room with Wiggle. A magical barrier appears, preventing us from leaving until the battle is over. The monster is a large black horse, with blue flames at its hooves and a unicorn’s horn, though it looks far more deadly than mystical. After a fierce roar, it charges straight at Forte. She sidesteps, avoiding the charge. She swipes at its abdomen from the side with her sword, keeping her shield pressed up against the side of its head as it tries to turn towards her.

Wiggle is a bit pressed for space in this small battle arena, but makes due, using her strong wings to blow the monster away from us. With the monster pressed against the barrier, Forte, Wiggle, and I attack him relentlessly, until I notice the horse monster is rearing up on its hind legs, preparing to attack. I order everyone to retreat, and we back up, but Forte and I still get hit. Wiggle, luckily, is in the air, and the thunderbolts that come zipping out from its hooves as the monster crashes down on the ground can’t reach her.

We do notice that it fans out in a spike pattern, and resolve to be more careful for the next attack. I conjure some fireballs and fire them towards the monster just as it begins charging towards Wiggle, ready to bite her.

She flies upward, but the ceiling isn’t high enough, and the monster still manages to bite at her tail, causing some feathers to fall down to the ground. Wiggle cries out in pain, and I attack the monster again with my daggers. It becomes enraged, attacking relentlessly and without any discernible pattern. We do our best to combat it, but one of us is constantly getting knocked down. I’m casting healing spells every few seconds to keep our health up, but it's costing me in energy.

Just as I think I might not be able to hold on much longer, I deal the finishing blow. The monster explodes in a burst of white light, and left behind is a boy with long, bluish-lilac colored hair and what looks to be furry ears – horse ears?

Perhaps the traits of the monster have passed on to him. A similar thing seems to have happened with Amber… Or maybe it’s the other way around, and his physical features had transferred to the monster…

The boy – Dylas – is breathing shallowly. He’s barely conscious, and I lean over him, checking to make sure he’s okay. He looks relatively unharmed, save the exhaustion.

Slowly, his eyes open and he looks up at me. “An angel…?” He asks, breathing out a slow, shaky breath.

“No,” I say softly. “My name is Frey. We’ll get you home.”

Frey and I hoist Dylas onto Wiggle’s back. She carries him back, gliding along at waist height as we hold him steady on her. Before we take him to the clinic, we stop in Venti’s chambers, where she dismisses Forte to go get Jones.

I lay Dylas on the ground before Venti, kneeling beside him. Venti cranes her neck down, nosing against his cheek. “Oh, Dylas. You were always quite the dramatic one.”

Venti sighs, and from the way her lips curl up I can tell it’s done in affection. She waves a wing over Dylas, and nods to me. “I’ve erased his memories of myself and the Guardians. He will be frustrated at the amnesia I imagine, but he has all of us here to support him. It’s best this way.”

I only nod. I can’t be the one to make this judgment call. “I trust you, Venti... Even though I wouldn’t wish amnesia on my greatest enemy.”

Venti smiles sadly. “I’m sure you must feel conflicted. Thank you for trusting in me. I fear this is the only way to keep them happy and safe.”

I tilt my head, curious as to what they are being saved from, but I cannot question her any more as Jones and Forte walk in the door, carrying a stretcher. I pet Wiggle on the neck, grateful for her help, and bring her with me as we escort Dylas to the clinic.

As Wiggle is such a large bird, Nancy comes outside with a salve to put on Wiggle’s tail. There’s a bald spot where a large chunk of feathers was ripped out. On the bare skin, there are some droplets of blood and fresh scabs forming where small bits of skin were ripped away with larger clumps of feathers. 

Nancy is careful with the salve as she applies it, being gentle yet firm as Wiggle attempts to, well, wriggle out of her grasp. I sit at Wiggle’s side, petting her head gratefully as she gets her wounds treated and wrapped.

“Princess, I think you and Forte are due to be looked at, too.” Nancy looks at me pointedly. This is not an offer, I realize – it’s a demand.

“Just let me take Wiggle back to get some rest in her barn first.” I acquiesce. Wiggle preens at the extra attention she is receiving, and rubs her head happily against mine.

“Come on now you big bird, you are on a strict rest regimen for at least a few days. Are we clear?”

I don’t get much of a response as she is too busy waddling with me back to the castle, but she knows better than to ignore me, I think.

 

The rest of my afternoon is spent in bed at the clinic, tended to by Jones and Nancy. Forte lays across from me for a few hours, but somehow she is able to convince Jones to let her go patrol the town in the evening.   
I, on the other hand, am delegated to spending the night here. Dylas, the boy I saved, is resting fitfully two beds down from me. The curtain between us is pulled closed for privacy, but I can hear him tossing and turning as he rests. Every now and again he grunts, too, but I can’t make out what he’s saying.

The clinic remains pretty quiet for the rest of the evening after Forte leaves. Porco stops in after a while and brings me a late dinner in a take-out box, taking a peek at Dylas as he walks past his bed.

“Does he have anywhere to go, when he wakes up?” Porco asks me, blinking his eyes in what I’m sure he thinks is a charming manner.

“I don’t think so, no.” I say, frowning. “Are you thinking of taking him in? Don’t you already have Arthur living with you?”

Porco nods and seats himself on the side of my bed. I hear the bedsprings groan, but he pays it no mind as he takes my hands in his, looking into my eyes wildly. “I do, but it would be so nice to have more company! I still have an extra empty bedroom, you see.”

“Well I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear there’s a place for him to stay when he wakes up. This has all been quite the experience…” I say, all the while attempting to remove my fingers from Porcoline’s grasp.

“Yes, Princess, of course! What would our small town ever do without your help?!”

“Porco,” I whisper, “Keep your voice down. He needs his rest.” I say, nodding my head towards Dylas.

“Sorry, sorry, Princess!” Porco stands, leaving some cutlery and napkins on my bedspread. He gets a small table to place over my lap for eating in bed and sets up my meal for me, pours me a glass of water, and then runs out of the clinic just as suddenly as he came.

I didn’t even get to ask him about Arthur, he left so quickly.

I sit and pout in my bed, eating the dinner that Porco made for me, until I can fall asleep. I leave the dinner tray over my lap, as I’m too tired to move it, and at some point I feel someone move the tray from over my lap and reapply some medicine to my largest wounds. It’s probably Nancy, I think to myself, and drift back off to sleep.

When I wake the next morning, I look a little battered, but it’s nothing too awful. My skin is singed a little on one of my calves where the lightning attack had hit me, and I have a couple of nasty bruises forming on my knees and forearms, plus a cut on my chin from when I had fallen towards the end of the fight. Overall, I fared very well I think. No broken bones, no life-threatening injuries. Considering I fought a _lightning horse_ , I’m very proud of myself!

Nancy and Jones clear me to leave after they take a second look at the electrical burn on my leg, before turning their attention back to Dylas. He’s awake now, sitting on the edge of the bed as Nancy and Jones look over him.

I interject myself into their exam. “Hi, Dylas. My name’s Frey, in case you don’t remember – I saved you, along with Forte, our town’s knight, yesterday. I know this must be a lot to take in… Someone in our town, Porcoline, has offered his spare bedroom for you to stay in, if you’d like. He’s… eccentric, but very kind.”

Dylas frowns, sizing me up before he speaks. “And what do I owe him in return for his _hospitality_?”

I smile, ignoring his prickly attitude. “He’d probably be happy with you just helping with the restaurant when you have time. Arthur stays with him too, and he helps Porco with his shipments in return – he’s a merchant. I’m sure you two can work something out together.” 

Dylas rolls his eyes. “ _Great_.”

I turn my attention to Nancy and Jones to address all three of them. “Well, I’m going to go take care of my crops and monsters. If you like, Dylas, I’ll come back and I can walk you over to Porco’s when I’m done. We have some paperwork to do together, anyway.”

“Whatever.” He says, choosing to lay back down in bed rather than participate in conversations any longer. I take that as a yes.

When I return to the clinic, it's about ten thirty in the morning. Dylas stands up from his bed immediately upon seeing me. “ _Finally_. Let's get out of here.”

He quickly storms past me out of the front door. When I follow behind him, I find him waiting outside, tapping his foot with a hand on his hip. “Well?”

A lightbulb goes off in my head. “Of course! You aren't familiar with Selphia. I guess I'll give you a tour, although it hasn't been very long since I had my own. You see, I fell from an airship and woke up here with amnesia. Supposedly I'm the princess of this town!” I keep up the story of my being princess with Dylas, and he accepts it quickly, almost as if it's something he needed to hear.

“You mean, you don't remember anything either? Ever since I woke up, I've been trying to figure out how I ended up like this, but I can't remember... I remember my life – most of it, I think – before this, and then... nothing.”

Dylas' features soften as he discusses his memories. I fight to swallow a lump in my throat as I respond. “No, I don't. People tell me things, like how I am the princess, but I don't actually remember anything. Thankfully, everyone here has been very patient with me while I learn.”

Dylas looks at me with vulnerability in his eyes and opens his mouth as though he wants to say something, but then closes it again. He looks between us, and seems to realize we are still standing in front of the clinic. “Let's go already.” His demeanor becomes gruff once more, and I oblige, taking him on a short tour of our (very) small town.

 

When we finish, we are in front of Porcoline's restaurant, and I'm carrying the citizenship documents I need to fill out for Dylas. I take Dylas in through the door that leads to Arthur's office first, to introduce him to his housemate, lest he be scared off first by Porcoline himself. 

Arthur looks surprised, to say the least, when I walk in the door with a stranger. Knowing him, he's probably locked himself in his office all day and hasn't heard about Dylas yet.

“Good morning, Arthur. I hope we aren't interrupting anything. I wanted to introduce you to Dylas. Porco has graciously offered him the other spare bedroom here.”

Arthur stands up from his desk and straightens his back before walking over to the two of us. Oh yes, he's been working for a while. He might not have even slept last night.

“My name is Arthur D. Lawrence. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Arthur holds out his hand for a handshake.

“Dylas.” He replies gruffly, taking Arthur's outstretched hand and shaking it.

“Just how did you make your way to Selphia, Dylas?” Arthur tilts his head politely as he asks.

“Arthur, he's from the Water Ruins.” I explain, after Dylas looks away harshly from Arthur. “He can't remember anything, like Amber and myself.” I whisper the last part into Arthur's ear, hoping that Dylas can't hear me.

“My apologies.” Arthur corrects himself quickly, then looks incredulously at me as he realizes what I said. “You went into the Water Ruins and defeated that monster? Did you even tell anyone before you left?” He pauses, pulling off his glasses to wipe at the lenses with a cloth in his anxious state. “What if you got hurt?”

“I'm fine, and I had Forte with me. I told Meg, too. I'm surprised she didn't tell you.”

Arthur briefly looks me over for injuries, even going so far as to twist my arms this way and that to examine them. When his eyes land on the slightly charred flesh of my leg, he gasps.

“Fine isn't quite the term I'd use for this. Have you been to the clinic?”

“Yes, Nancy and Jones held me there overnight. I got released this morning.” I would be mildly frustrated by anyone else reacting this way, but instead I find myself quite pleased with the attention I'm receiving from Arthur.

He sighs deeply. “Well. I'm glad you're mostly okay. Before you go charging in the face of danger again, please at least notify me first.”

“I think I can do that.” I say with a smile.

I look over at Dylas and find him standing uncomfortably next to the two of us. I suppose we made him feel a little awkward. I elect to take Dylas over to Porcoline's, and after an introduction with the large man himself I take Dylas over to a small table where we can share some tea and work on his papers. Judging from the small smirk on Dylas' face, I think he likes Porcoline quite a bit.

“Think you'll be able to enjoy yourself here?” I ask Dylas after Porco sets down our tea cups.

“At the very least, every day will be interesting. It looks like I might have to hide my food if I want to eat anything, though...” 

I giggle, which causes red to bloom across Dylas' cheeks. “Hopefully Meg will tell you the combination to the lock on the fridge.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am splitting this chapter into two! The breaking point between the two just fit well and although this portion is a bit short, the second half is so much longer it can easily count as a chapter on its own, so consider this an appetizer. Part two of Chapter 11 will be up in a day or two.

“Dylas!” I walk over to the new celebrity of our small town, who has managed to beat out the rest of the entrants in the fishing tourney just two days after he arrived here. He's currently surrounded by a large group of people, holding his golden trophy in one hand, his fishing pole in the other.

Doug pushes past the group of people congratulating Dylas and shoves a finger in Dylas’ face, sneering, “Fishing is boring anyway. If I had actually tried, I would've beaten you, easily!”  
The two of them seem to have quite the rivalry brewing already.

“Just admit you suck at fishing! I beat you fair and square.” Dylas proves his point by shoving his gold trophy in Doug's face, and Doug pushes it away, choosing to walk back to Blossom's shop rather than continue to argue with Dylas right now.

“Dylas, congratulations!” I push through the group of people to finally reach Dylas.

“Oh, uh, thanks, I guess.” Dylas looks off to the side, unsure of how to respond. “Um. Do you have time to talk?” He looks around at all the people surrounding us. “Alone?”

I smile and nod in response. “Of course! Let's go for a walk.”

Dylas and I walk across town to first drop off his fishing pole and trophy at Porcoline's, and then we walk along the roads in Selphia until we come to a quieter part of town. There’s a bench situated in front of the small stream that flows through this part of town, so we sit down together. I remain quiet, waiting for Dylas to speak first.

Dylas takes a few moments to finally speak, opening and closing his mouth several times before he finally just blurts out what he wants to say. “Do you – do you know why I was trapped inside that monster? And what about Amber? Why… Why can’t I remember anything frigging important?!” Dylas’ hands clench and unclench as he tries to regain his composure. With a forceful slam of his fist down onto the bench, he seems to have calmed himself enough for me to respond.

“I don’t know much. I think whatever ritual was done to you and Amber was connected to Ventuswill in some way.”

I don’t elaborate further. I think of what Venti told me about the Guardians and know that she erased Dylas’ memories for a good reason – I can’t risk him finding out about this.

“Do you think she knows? Ventuswill?”

I frown. “She might, but she’s also been feeling very tired lately. I’m worried about her – I think that whatever I’m doing may be weakening her… But, she asked me to do this for her, and I trust her, so…”

Dylas’ mouth turns down imperceptibly into a frown. He places a hand on my back and pats it twice awkwardly to soothe me, then removes his hand jerkily from my back and coughs loudly into it.

“Well in any case, Volkanon has asked that Ventuswill not be disturbed without prior approval. She needs her rest, so…”

“Damn,” Dylas sighs, standing up, “Well thanks anyway. See you ‘round.”

“Dylas,” I call after him and he turns back around to me, eyebrow raised. “If you ever need to let off some steam, I’m usually out fighting monsters in the evenings. You’re welcome to join me anytime.”

Dylas nods, a small smile forming on his lips. “I might take you up on that. Thanks.”

\---

After several failed attempts to talk with Venti and instead being met with a snoozing dragon, one night as I am prepping for bed, I finally feel the telltale whoosh of wind summoning me to her chambers.

“Venti!” I squeak quietly, running up to her and wrapping my arms around her neck. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for days!”

“I know. I’m sorry, I’ve just been so tired lately. Everything seems to take so much more energy now.”

“It’s okay. I want you to be safe. But, Venti…”

She nudges me when I don’t continue, and I place my hand on her snout as she puffs out a breath of air at me.

“Venti, you have to consider giving back Amber and Dylas their memories. They’re…”

“Upset. Just like you were when you first came here. I know… But how can I keep them safe, if they know? What if they just try to sacrifice themselves again for me?”

“Is my releasing the guardians hurting you, Venti?” I ask in response to her question, tears brimming at the corners of my eyes.

“I’m not going to die from it, Frey… But yes, I am getting weaker. I’m an old dragon. I was never supposed to live this long.” The tears spill down over my eyes and Venti pulls me closer, cradling me in her wing like a baby. “Just do your best as Princess. Keep working hard. That’s all I’ll ask of you.”

I hiccup and lay in her wing for several minutes as I attempt to get my crying under control. I remember Arthur’s handkerchief is sitting snug in my pocket, so I pull it out and dry my eyes with it.

Venti spies this and I can hear the intrigue in her voice loud and clear. “Is that an ‘L’ on your handkerchief? It couldn’t possibly stand for ‘Lawrence’, could it?”

My cheeks burn as Venti guesses correctly. “It’s not a big deal, he just gave it to me one time...” I say softly, folding the handkerchief and putting it in my pocket.

Venti rolls her eyes and a big grin spreads across her face, revealing her sharp teeth. I can feel the plumes of dragon breath waft over my face as she giggles. “Not a big deal! Let me know when you’re ready to tell the truth, Princess!”

\---

After chatting with Venti, I feel relieved that, at least for the moment, saving her friends has been put on hold. Instead, I can focus on other things, like spending time with my friends and neighbors. Most importantly, I’m excited to get to work on clearing out some more space in my chambers.

Before I can get to any home improvements, though, I must apparently attend Beach Day, Selphia’s way of celebrating the start of Summer.

“Frey, you have to come swimsuit shopping with us! There’s a merchant who just opened up shop not far from town and he’s got plenty in stock in time for Summer!” Meg’s insistent nagging is only intensified by Amber pestering me as well, as she has no swimsuit either.

“Come on, Princess! We can even match, if you want! It’ll be fun!” Amber shouts, jumping up and down and tugging on the hem of my shirt.

“And I bet Arthur will enjoy seeing you in a swimsuit,” Meg teases me, laughing when she sees my cheeks turn red.

“Oh fine, but only if you’ll stop teasing me!”

Meg acquiesces and keeps her word – the teasing stops there and Meg, Amber, Forte, and Clorica and I all have a fun time picking out swimsuits.

“You don’t think it’s too juvenile?” I ask Meg, suddenly unsure of my swimsuit choice as more and more people are arriving at the lake. I twirl around, examining my swimsuit from different angles. It’s cute, I think, but it definitely does have a bit of a younger flair with the sailor collar and bow on the bikini top.

I’ve already claimed a spot with a towel on the sand next to Meg and Forte. On the other side of the beach, Volkanon and Vishnal are setting up a volleyball net.

“No, it’s super cute! And I bet Arthur will –”

“Arthur will what?” Arthur appears suddenly behind us, a neutral smile adorning his face. He’s in a simple tan pair of swim trunks. His chest is bare and I can’t help but stare at it for a moment. His shoulders are broad and strong, leading to thin but toned arms and a torso that thins at the waist. His chest is well-defined but not intimidatingly buff in the slightest, and I think that perhaps the only reason why he is well-built could be because of the training he’s done with me. He doesn’t seem to get much physical activity in outside of that.

I finally manage to bring my gaze back up to his face, and he is still smiling, but now it seems to be directed straight at me, waiting for an answer. Did he notice me staring?

Darn that smile! I can never tell what he’s thinking!

I panic, talking over Meg quickly. “A-Arthur will… come to Beach Day! I wasn’t sure if you would, since you’re always working, ha-ha…” I scratch the back of my head, laughing awkwardly.

“Yes, that’s understandable. I did manage to clear my schedule for today, although it’s the ladies that will be the stars of the show today, I’m sure.” Arthur laughs lightly, “I am a man, after all.”

I can’t help but blush as I notice Arthur’s gaze travel up and down my body briefly, and I panic in response. What do I do?! “Meg!” I burst out, “Let’s go play volleyball!”

The net is finished being set up, so I quickly drag her over towards it, leaving Forte alone with Arthur. I hear the two of them speaking as we walk away, and Meg whispers harshly in my ear.

“Oh my gosh, I wonder what he said to Forte?!”

Judging by Forte’s red face and the sword she’s got pointing at Arthur, I’d imagine it was something lewd. Or it just embarrassed her. “Maybe he’s flirting with her,” I say dejectedly.

“Oh, don’t worry, I bet he’s just doing it to get a rise out of her. If it wasn’t Arthur, Doug would have. Someone does it to her every year.”

I pout, not believing her. “I’m not sure, but let’s actually go play volleyball. I don’t know if I can stand being around him right now!”

“Too busy looking at his chest?” Meg giggles. “He’s surprisingly fit considering he’s always at his desk, but a little pale. If he tanned a bit, he’d be super-” Meg stops talking when she notices I’m glaring at her, and settles for playing volleyball with me.  
Eventually a few other people join in, including Doug and Dylas (each on opposite teams, naturally). The pair of them start coaching our teams like we are playing serious volleyball, to the point that our team members slowly start quitting and elect to just watch. Eventually it’s just the four of us, and after some harsh criticism of my failed spike, Meg and I both roll our eyes and quit, too.

Doug and Dylas keep playing alone and they put on an impressive show, gathering a small crowd as they attempt to spike the volleyball in each other’s courts. They end up spoiling the fun, though, by starting a shouting match. It ends with Dylas kicking the ball away and Doug shouting some choice words at Dylas as he leaves to go for a swim.

“It seems I was wrong. Dylas and Doug have turned out to be the main entertainment today.” Arthur says, suddenly appearing at my side.

“You’re like a ghost! You keep showing up out of nowhere.” I say, putting a hand over my heart in surprise.

“Sorry, Miss Frey. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He smiles and turns toward the lake, gesturing towards a group of people in the water. I can see Porco, Dylas, Kiel, and Forte all splashing each other in the water. “I came to see if you and Meg would like to join us in the water.”

I turn to confirm with Meg if she’d like to and she nods with a smile. “Yeah! That sounds fun!” I say, and the three of us all run into the water. I jump and belly flop into the lake, splashing Kiel and Forte. The water where I jumped in is a bit shallow, so I quickly stand and wade into deeper water with everyone else.

At first, I’m a bit tense, being around Arthur in such a new situation (and such little clothing!). After some coaxing from Meg, I finally manage to relax around Arthur and we are all having fun splashing one another and goofing around in the water. I dunk Meg underwater by jumping on her back, and when she comes back up, spewing water, she cries, “My hair, it’s ruined!”

Her meticulously braided hair is now sopping wet and the ribbons are all falling out of place and in disarray. To get back at me, she pushes me under by the shoulders and holds me there for a few seconds before pulling me back up again.

As Meg and I are playing I see Arthur has his back to us, engrossed in a conversation with Kiel while they float together in the water. I motion to Meg what I’m about to do and she nods, snickering, as I sneak up behind Arthur and grab him by the shoulders, tugging him underwater with me.

He swims down farther, so I try to swim upward, pulling the two of us. Instead of coming with me towards the surface, though, Arthur pulls me close to him and wraps his arms around my waist underwater, tightening his hold on me. His warm arms wrapped around my midsection is a stark contrast to the cold water, and I know as he holds me there underneath the surface, our bodies pressed together so intimately, I’m hooked. I can’t help but want more – to be entangled in his arms forever like this.

Arthur swims up towards the surface, taking me with him, and moves his arms so that his hands are firmly grasping my waist. He lifts me up above him as we break through the surface and I can’t help but smile and laugh as I know what he’s about to do –

Surely enough, Arthur throws me and I catch some air before I land with a huge splash in the water. When I resurface, Arthur is high-fiving Meg and everyone is laughing. “Arthur 1, Frey 0!” Kiel declares, clapping wildly. I spit the water that accumulated in my mouth in Arthur’s direction, but it doesn’t reach him, which just makes everyone laugh even more.


	12. Chapter 12

Although I had managed to clear out one of the storage rooms that are attached to my room in the castle, I hadn’t made any progress with the rest of them – until today! With a little freshly-brewed relax tea for Volkanon and some hot apple pie for Clorica as incentives, I have two extra pairs of hands to help me clear out the room to the right of my current all-purpose room, which I use for everything from sleeping to eating. It’s a little weird having my bedroom be the first room one enters when coming to visit, so I’d like to rearrange the furniture some so I have a little more privacy.

The storage room is dusty and full of old bric-a-brac, from garish paintings to old trophies from Selphia festivals and books. Lots of books. Thankfully, as Volkanon goes through the books, he declares that most of them are unnecessary to keep, as he has many of the same ones in the royal library above the butler’s quarters already. I set some aside that I think Kiel may be interested in, and move on to the old trophies. Some are from festivals that we don’t even have any more, and I implore Volkanon to consider having them again. He promises that if we can get more tourists coming into town, these festivals might be possible again – without high attendance, he says, they won’t be a success.

Volkanon helps Clorica and I with moving the paintings of past Princes and Princesses into a different storage room, and I can’t help but stare at the faces of some of them in curiosity. There are two that I stare at the longest, both males. One has pale green hair in almost the same exact shade as mine, and the other has dark green hair, the color of pine.

Volkanon notices me staring and remarks, “Ah yes, those two are from back when we had Earthmates serving as Princes and Princesses in the castle. I was not around then, but the stories that have been passed down through generations say that this was a prosperous time for Selphia. They must have brought such life here – just as you are now, Princess!” Volkanon cries, wrapping his arms around me and sobbing frantically. “You’re doing such a great job, Princess! Wahhh!”

I manage to pry Volkanon off of me with Clorica’s help, and we dust and mop the floors of the now-empty room until it sparkles. I can’t help but smile at the cleanliness of the room after all of our hard work.

Volkanon helps me by moving the furniture around until I’m satisfied, showing off his impressive strength by picking up everything with only one hand. When we’re done, my bed and accompanying furniture have been moved into the newly cleaned room, and I’ve rearranged the new living area to make room for the dining table I purchased in anticipation of this. Volkanon has it put together before I can even ask for help, and I spend the rest of the day shopping around town for things to put in my new living room.

I find a bouquet of flowers and a vase to set on the dining room table from Illuminata, linen napkins in a lovely pink color that Blossom made herself by dying them with beets, and a plush woolie I see hidden among a pile of odds and ends in the general store that I’m guessing no one wanted, based on the “20% OFF” sign I see above it.

I arrange my new purchases happily in my room, feeling particularly blissed-out. My chambers are finally shaping up to feel like home. I can even invite people over for dinner, now, I realize gleefully. My new living area sports the new dining table set surrounded with six chairs, a sitting area set in front of the fireplace, and a small study with a desk and my bookshelf where I can do any Princess duties that may come up.

I take the stack of books I had previously set aside for Kiel and carry them over to his house, knocking on the front door. Kiel answers it, looking a little worse for wear. His eyes have shadows beneath them and his hair looks rumpled, like he’s been running his hands through it all day.

“Kiel, are you feeling okay? I can come back later if it’s a bad time…”

“No, no, come in! What have you got there?” Kiel ushers me inside with a smile as he sees the large stack of books. I see he has his priorities in order.

I enter and we sit down together at the dining table. Kiel has dinner cooking on the stove. “I’m just finishing up dinner now. Would you like some?”

I smile and nod. “If you don’t mind! I worked up a bit of an appetite today. Volkanon and Clorica helped me clean out one of the rooms in my chambers that was being used for storage. I found these old books in there and I thought you might be interested in them.”

Kiel’s eyes light up despite his haggard appearance, and he quickly plates the food and packs up a serving for Forte and places it in the fridge. “’Sis is on patrol right now, so I’m saving her portion for later.” Kiel explains. “It’s actually good that you’re here, Princess! I wanted to bring this up with you, but I got a little carried away while doing some research that I haven’t come around to see you about it yet.”

“What is it?” I ask between bites.

“Forte said she saw a ghost on her last patrol, so she’s been a bit on edge… She said the ghost tried to lead her away to that creepy old mansion on the edge of town.”

“A ghost? You know ghosts aren’t real, right Kiel?”

“Well,” Kiel begins, “Actually, under certain conditions, spirits can physically manifest as a dense collection of runes… I’ve also been reading a lot about spirits possessing objects and there are actually monsters that look like ghosts…”

“Spirits? Like, dead people?!” I sputter.

“Yes, apparently there are some manifestations that have lead people to believe that it’s possible for one’s spirit to remain behind after they’ve died.”

“I hope you haven’t been telling all of this to Forte.” I say seriously.

“…I did. But I thought it would help her, knowing the science behind it! Instead she’s gotten terribly scared and can’t sleep at night. So, I thought maybe if you could bring Forte with you to the Obsidian Mansion and show her that the ghost monsters aren’t so bad, maybe that could help her get over her fear?”

“You want me to take Forte to a ghost-infested mansion?”

“Precisely! I knew I could count on you, Frey!”

\---

After Kiel told me about Forte’s fear, I decide to investigate that old mansion myself before bringing Forte into it. Sure enough, there are ghosts inside, though I am pretty sure they are ghost monsters and not ‘spirits manifesting as a dense collection of runes’. Either way, my weapons aren’t doing much damage to them. After a lot of hacking and slashing they do eventually succumb, but it’s a lot easier to just shoot them with the fireball spell I learned. Unfortunately, that’s the only magic spell aside from defensive magic that I have in my repertoire. I spend all night trying different maneuvers against the ghosts, only to come up tired and empty-handed.

I get back to Selphia covered in a gross, damp sweat. Thankfully, Lin Fa lent me the key to the baths and told me to leave my money on the counter for her in the morning, since I told her I would be out late fighting monsters.

After my bath, I leave the key and money on the counter, making sure to shut the lights off and lock the door behind me. As I walk back towards the castle, I notice the lights on in Arthur’s office. It’s nearly two in the morning, so I can’t imagine what’s keeping him up – though as I think about it, I’m sure he would say the same about me. My nightgown flutters in the breezy summer night air, blowing in the direction of Arthur’s office. I haven’t been able to spend any time with him in so long… Any time I’d come by with lunch or stopped in to say hello, he’s either not there or he waves me off, saying he’s busy.  
Surely he won’t mind if I stop in to see how he’s doing? Especially if he’s always up this late like he says he is? Arthur could also probably help me with learning some more magic to fight the ghosts. After all, he taught me the fire magic in the first place.

I quickly make some hot chocolate in the pot on my stove, being sure to whisk it until the top is frothy. I pour out two mugs’ worth and dollop some whipped cream I have left in the fridge on top, as well. Mugs in hand as a peace offering, I walk back over to the entrance to Arthur’s office.

The lights are still on, so that’s a good sign, but my hands are a little sweaty from nervousness. I shift one of the mugs to my other hand so I can knock and open the door, but it’s locked when I try it. Embarrassed, I hope he doesn’t hear that I knocked and quietly turn away, back towards the castle. Belatedly, I realize I’m also dressed in my pajamas, too. How stupid must I look, carrying hot chocolate over to his office at two in the morning, in my pajamas?

As I am about to make the turn to enter my fields, I hear the heavy door to Arthur’s office creak open in the quiet of the early morning. Bright light spills out onto the concrete and I can see Arthur is looking down the street at me questioningly.

“A-Arthur, good evening, I’m sorry to bother you…” I start walking back towards him so we can speak without shouting.

“Good evening Miss Frey. What brings you here at this hour? Is everything alright?” He tilts his head in obvious concern.

Arthur is dressed in nothing more than a silky, lightweight brown robe, which is tied loosely at his waist. He’s wearing no shirt underneath, and I can see plenty of his chest from the deep, open V in his robe. I blush and attempt to keep my gaze on his eyes, determined not to let it stray lower. My brain is running on overdrive just trying to keep up. Don’t think about Beach Day don’t think about Beach Day don’t think about–

“No, everything’s fine; nothing’s wrong. I just, um, I saw your lights on while I was coming back from the baths, and I haven’t been able to speak with you much lately, so I thought maybe you’d like to share a cup of hot chocolate with me…” I raise up the mugs, as if in defense of my statement.

“Yes, I apologize that we haven’t had any time to spend together recently. I’ve been very busy with trade agreements. As for the hot chocolate, I would like to join you, but I do have a lot of work to do tonight before I can retire…” I can’t seem to help myself before my expression sours into a frown. Arthur notices this and attempts to reconcile: “But I suppose a quick break wouldn’t hurt. And it does smell heavenly. Why don’t you come in?”

Arthur holds the door open for me and I take a seat on one of the couches in his little seating area, where we’ve sat together multiple times before. Somehow this time, though, under the guise of the evening light, it seems much more intimate.

“I’m sorry about my appearance – once it gets late enough, I like to change to be more comfortable. I hope you understand.” He smiles sweetly at me and the pins he’s left in his hair catch the light just right, making me blush again. He tries to pull the robe closed for modesty’s sake, but it will only close so far, still leaving a portion of his chest exposed to me.

I, meanwhile, shift in my seat somewhat nervously. My nightgown isn’t particularly revealing, but it is quite lightweight, making me feel more exposed than I would normally. To top it all off, my hair isn’t tied up in pigtails like usual. Instead it hangs down, still slightly damp from the baths.

I’ve still yet to say anything and Arthur sits down next to me, reaching for the hot chocolate. “I do like your hair like that, Miss Frey. It makes you look more mature. –Mm, and this hot chocolate is delicious. I guess that’s what happens when you use fresh buffamoo cream. Thank you; this is a rather special treat.”

“I’m glad you like it! I’m sorry to barge in like this… I just thought it might be a good time, since you’re always busy during the day…” I trace patterns into the side of my mug worriedly as I speak.

“It’s quite alright. Unfortunately, yes, I am consistently rather busy. My nights I mostly spend getting ahead on paperwork; I always make sure that any urgent work needed is done well before it’s due, so I suppose getting together in the evenings could work out quite nicely. Not to mention it’s a relaxing reprieve to spend time with you. You always seem to put a smile on my face, Miss Frey. Though that could be partially because you’re so easy to tease.” Arthur grins once more, and to prove a point, he picks up a dollop of whipped cream with his finger and swipes it on my nose. 

“Arthur!” I chastise him quietly, making sure not to raise my voice enough to wake Porcoline and Dylas. My cheeks are already a flaming red, I’m sure, and I attempt to wipe the cream off with my finger and eat it.

“You missed some, you know.” Arthur reaches over and gently wipes the remainder off my nose while holding my face steady by placing the palm of his other hand on my cheek. It reminds me of when he placed his hand on my cheek after he brought me back to my room from Celsa, and I’m suddenly unsure if I’ll ever lose this blush. “My, my, your cheeks are so warm. Are you alright?”

He pats my cheeks gently with both hands, and then licks the leftover cream from his fingertip before he manages to accidentally swipe it all over my face again.

“I’m fine, um, h-how have you been, Arthur?” I ask, attempting to draw the attention away from my burning cheeks.

“Oh, you know. I’ve been busier than usual lately, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary for me. Jozef and Lin Fa are in the midst of negotiating a monthly contract for Jozef to provide Lin Fa products to sell in the bath house, so I’ve been assisting with that. I’ve also been busy trying to keep up with where to send the sheer volume and variety of items you’ve been shipping as of late. It’s not a burden, though. After all, there are people depending on me.” His lips turn up in just the faintest of smiles, and I find myself grinning like an idiot with him. “I also see you’ve somehow managed to become practically the center of commerce here in Selphia, Princess. You put out and bring in more money than the rest of the town, combined.”

“No I don’t, you must be exaggerating!”

“Well, between the things you forage while out training, all of your crops, and your dishes – which seem to rival Porcoline’s now, from what I’ve heard – they’re all making you a substantial income. You’re doing well for yourself, aren’t you? You should be proud of yourself.”

“Yes, well, I have been working really hard… I was saving up to buy a new dining table. I just got it and cleared out a room in my quarters so now I have a dedicated bedroom and a living area with a dining table!”

“That sounds lovely. Perhaps one day we could have dinner together. But do remember not to overwork yourself, Frey.”

“Or what, I’ll end up like you?” I stick out my tongue in defiance.

“Precisely.” Arthur says with a small smile.

“Well if working hard means staying up this late every night, I might need you to keep me company.” I say with a smile, thinking of all the time I could spend with Arthur if I made it a habit of staying up late. I’ll be busy training these next couple of weeks, anyway…

“My, my, did you mean every word of that, Miss Frey?”  
My blush returns in full force. Arthur has a devilish smile on his face, but I can’t quite figure out why. “Um, yes?” I squeak.

Arthur’s red eyes seem to turn a shade darker. Are his pupils dilating? It must be the light. “I suppose I might be able to pencil you in, then. As long as my lights are on, you are always welcome.”

“Yes, I can do that, no problem! I’ll bring snacks, too.” I say nervously. “I’ve really missed spending time with you, Arthur. Sometimes I feel like you and Venti are the only ones who understand me.”

Arthur takes in a deep breath and takes his glasses off to clean them. I take the time to admire the way he looks without glasses on, staring at him unabashedly. “Aside from Lady Ventuswill, I am the only one who knows the fullest extent of your circumstances as Princess, aren’t I? That leaves you with precious few people to talk with. I’m sorry for my absence, if that has caused you any distress. Is there anything you need to speak with me about?”

“Well, Meg knows I’m not really the princess, but she doesn’t know that I’m covering for you. Or about that missing person poster we found.” I explain. “She knows not to say anything though, don’t worry.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less of Margaret.” Arthur says with a kind smile. 

“I’m also worried about Venti…” I don’t hesitate in using my nickname for her as I swallow past the lump that is growing in my throat. I can’t be bothered to keep up pretenses when I’m worried about my best friend. 

“What do you mean?” Arthur asks, turning his body towards me so he can pay better attention to what I’m saying.

“Venti is growing weaker as a result of me saving Dylas and Amber. We’ve put the plans for saving her friends on hold for now, but… I’m so worried about her. And Dylas and Amber, they can’t remember the most important parts of their pasts, and I can’t tell them, and it just reminds me so much of myself…”

Arthur nods as he listens, reaching out for my free hand with his. He strokes the back of my hand gently with his fingertips, a small, kind gesture as I grow more panicked.

“Do you remember when Amber first woke up, and I had to ask her all of those questions for her residency papers?”

“Like I also had to fill out for you, yes, I recall.” Arthur says with a small smile.

“Well, when I asked her about her age and her birthday, and we had to just pick an age for her because she couldn’t remember how old she was… That made me remember when Venti had me choose a birthday. A-and it made me really sad, seeing how frustrated she was that she couldn’t remember, because I get like that, too.”

Arthur nods sadly in recognition that he is listening to me.

“And, when we went shopping in Celsa, and I d-didn’t even know whether my ears were pierced or not…” I take a deep, shuddering breath in an attempt to calm myself. “It made me feel… Like there’s been a stranger controlling my body for who-knows-how-long! Sometimes I barely feel comfortable in my own skin, because I’m not sure what I did before I came here. Was I dating someone? Am I married? Did I have a family? I don’t want to think about the possibility of someone I don’t know having touched me…”

“Miss Frey…” Arthur looks at me with pain in his eyes, but I continue to speak. At this point, I’m practically shouting and I can’t stop.

“I don’t ever want to find out about my past! I just want to live here, in Selphia, save Venti, and spend time with everyone here! I have this horrible feeling that something bad happened to me, and I don’t know what will happen if I find out!”

“Frey!” Arthur says sternly, gripping me firmly by the shoulders.

I blink once, then twice. My arms slowly return to my lap from waving frantically in the air, and I take a deep breath to calm myself, but I just end up hiccupping and crying. Fresh tears roll down my cheeks and I bring a hand to my mouth to try and stop the pathetic cries that I can’t help letting out.

Arthur pulls me into a hug and I wrap my arms gratefully around him, tucking my head into the crook of his shoulder so I can bury away these feelings as I cry. I’m sure I’m getting his robe all wet, but I can’t find it in myself to care, because he’s so warm and makes me feel so safe.

“Why have you been bottling this all up?” He asks me quietly, after I’ve reduced my tears to hiccups and sniffles. I can feel him rubbing circles into my back with his hand.

“How would everyone react if I unload all of this onto them? I’m the princess; I’m supposed to have everything under control, aren’t I?” 

“Well, wasn’t everyone more than happy to help you learn how to do your duties when you first came here? I stand to reason that if you were upset, every single resident of Selphia would do everything they can to help you smile again.”

“I suppose you’re right,” I say, sighing deeply. Arthur pulls a handkerchief from the pocket of his robe. I can’t help but smile at the idea that he even keeps one in his robes for relaxing around the house. He gently dabs beneath my eyes with it, brushing away what’s left of my tears.

I fidget, unsure of what to do with my hands while he does this, and find myself grasping his free hand with my own. I fold his warmed hand in between my own, squeezing it gently. He squeezes back, and tucks away the handkerchief in his pocket with his free hand.

As Arthur is doing this, I notice movement on the stairs. Dylas is peeking around the corner of the staircase, down at the two of us. I let go of Arthur's hand, standing up in a rush. My being here at two in the morning certainly looks inappropriate.

Before I can say anything, Dylas speaks in a rush. “I- I heard crying. I just wanted to make sure – Never mind! Ugh!” He storms back upstairs in a rush, and I can hear his bedroom door slam as he returns to his quarters.

“...I hope that didn't wake Porcoline up.” I say at last.

Arthur seems unperturbed by Dylas' appearance and abrupt departure. “Not to worry. Porcoline sleeps like the dead.”

I sigh, relaxing, and reach for my hot chocolate. I sit back down on the sofa with Arthur and the pair of us finish off our drinks. The break we take to just drink our hot chocolate in silence gives me the opportunity to breathe deeply and calm down. 

“Frey,” Arthur begins, once he notices I’m not breathing quite so heavily, “I want to remind you that you do not ever have to do anything you don’t want to. No one will force you to do anything about that poster. You’re safe here. As for Ventuswill… I will begin looking to see if there are any curative measures we can take to improve her health.”

“No Guardians,” I plead desperately, not even thinking as I blurt out exactly what Venti asked me to keep quiet about.

“What’s a Guardian?” Arthur asks, confused. He puts our mugs down on the table in front of us and takes my hands into his once more.

“It’s what Dylas and Amber were… They sacrificed themselves to keep Venti alive. That’s what they can’t remember. If Venti loses another friend because they sacrificed themselves to keep her alive, I think that alone could kill her–”

“Don’t worry. We will not put anyone in danger. We’ll find another way.”

I nod firmly. “We have to.”

As we sit together on the couch, resolute in our decision, I realize I should bring up the ghost topic soon, before I have to go. It’s getting late, after all, and we’ve finished our drinks.

“Arthur, Kiel has asked me to help him with something, but I don’t think I can do it on my own. I think you might be able to help.”

“Oh, has he roped you into doing research for him? I thought after I had spoken to him about this he would stop recruiting the entire town to help him with his books…” Arthur pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose anxiously.

“No, no, apparently Forte thinks she saw a ghost in town, and Kiel’s attempts at helping her overcome her fear have just made it worse. He’s come up with the idea that if she sees that she can kill the ghosts, she won’t be scared of them. He wants me to take her to the old Obsidian Mansion on the edge of town. Unfortunately, I went to do some reconnaissance myself and found that physical attacks don’t do much damage to them. The only thing I could get to work was my fire magic. I know you know a lot more magic than I do, so I was hoping you could come along with Forte and I?”

Arthur flips through his runic schedule, humming to himself every couple of seconds. “It’ll have to wait until next week, but yes, I can come along. In the meantime, getting elemental weapons for Forte and yourself may keep you busy. That will help you with landing your attacks. As for the magic, I do have some books around here that will be useful to you…”

Arthur flits about, pulling a couple books from his bookshelves, and finally settles on two to hand me. “Read these and see if you can figure out how to cast the spells on your own. If you’re having trouble, come see me.” 

“Okay, thanks!”

“Anytime, Miss Frey. At any rate, you should get going to bed. It’s gotten quite late.” Arthur stands, ushering me towards the door. 

I look to the clock. “It has. Well, goodnight, Arthur.” I say with a small smile.

“Goodnight.” Arthur bids me goodbye and I leave, walking down the road back to the castle. I notice as I’m walking that the light spilling out onto the road from the open door doesn’t disappear, even as I turn the corner and enter my farm. I realize, belatedly, Arthur was keeping an eye on me to make sure I get home alright. 

As I lay down in my bed, I squeal into the pillows like a child. Nightly rendezvous with Arthur… I can see him every day if I like!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey prepares for the Obsidian Mansion.

The next day, I spend my afternoon pouring over the magical tomes Arthur provided me, which consist of wind magic, water magic, and dark magic. The books are dense and complicated, but Arthur assured me I don’t have to read the entire book – a large portion of each is dedicated to the magical history and inner workings of the spells, and while I do think that’s fascinating, I really don’t have time to be reading it, so I flip straight to the pages Arthur bookmarked for me.

There’s some description of how to channel the magic, as well as the limitations on some spells. The only severe limitation between the three is that water magic requires a water supply – which makes sense. While magic really is magical, I don’t think it can do everything.

The diagrams of the stance to take to use the magic looks simple, but when I finally get out to Selphia Plains to practice, my magic keeps fizzling out. The wind magic is the most cooperative, but even still, it’s weak and I certainly haven’t mastered it. I try several more times, referring to the books each time, but aside from a very slight improvement, I’m not getting anywhere. Remembering Arthur’s promise that I can come by any evening, I decide to ask him for help.

I knock on Arthur’s door and wait until I hear a faint come in. Arthur is, of course, at his desk, thankfully still dressed for the day. Since it’s been so hot out lately, he’s dressed in a short-sleeved shirt with laces threaded at the throat and – shockingly enough – blue jeans. The only person that seems to wear denim in town is Bado, so I naturally associate them with manual labor (or a lack thereof). Yet as Arthur stands to greet me, I can see that his jeans are tightly fitted in all the right places. I’m sure these jeans weren’t made for crafting in, considering how good he looks in them.

“How are the books coming along, Miss Frey? Useful, I hope?” 

I frown in response, “Actually, not so well. No matter how many times I read the directions, I can’t get much more than a fizzle from any of the spells. Could you come with me to Selphia Plains to see what I’m doing wrong?” 

Arthur nods. “Let me grab my things.”

He returns quickly from his room upstairs with a rucksack slung over his shoulders and his staff in one hand. We chat casually as we walk towards Selphia Plains, my skirt fluttering behind me in the evening winds.

“So, the spells are fizzling out, hm? Maybe it’s your posture. The spells can be quite peculiar about channels, and if you aren’t opened up properly to receive the magic, it obviously won’t be flowing out of you, either.” Arthur muses, pressing a hand to his chin in thought.

“What if I just can’t do it?” I ask, frowning.

Arthur makes an unimpressed face. “Miss Frey, not to discredit your concern, but I’ve seen you fight. You’re more than capable.” 

I blush, knowing deep down that he’s right. “I’m just worried – it seemed practically impossible when I was trying earlier!”

Arthur flashes me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

Arthur and I decide to stop in a clearing and we set down our bags off to the side. He pulls out the book on wind magic first, flipping to the pages with diagrams of the stances to use to cast the magic.

The first position requires the user to extend their dominant hand and corresponding foot forward and pull the other hand and foot backwards. The magic should, according to the diagram, gather in the non-dominant hand. Then, it is pushed forward with that hand until both hands are extended in front of the user, then the magic is further directed by movements with the dominant hand. It notes the importance of treating the dominant hand as a fan, like it is blowing the air around.

“Alright,” Arthur begins, “Start by showing me what you were doing before.”

I nod and take my position, and attempt to channel the magic. I feel a small bit of magic forming so I cast it, and I’m able to conjure some, but it isn’t much more than a soft breeze.

“Frey?” Arthur asks, confused.

“What did I do wrong?” I ask, disappointed.

“Where’s your weapon? Or do you have a staff?”

“Why would I need a weapon for magic?”

“Well, aren’t you always holding one when you use the flame magic I taught you?”

I pause. Of course I need a weapon to channel the magic! I can’t believe how stupid I am. My cheeks flush hotly in embarrassment. 

Arthur smiles reassuringly. “It’s alright Miss Frey, we’ll figure it out together.” He holds out his staff to me and I take it in my dominant hand.

“Try taking position again.” Arthur suggests. 

I nod and stand in the starting position once more. Arthur circles me as I stand still, posed as a statute. He lifts my left elbow up higher so that it is level with my arm that’s extended forward, holding the staff. Then he adjusts my grip on his staff, bringing my hand up closer to the top.

Finally, he steps behind me and mimics my stance, folding his hands securely over my own. He places his feet right next to mine and presses himself closer to me until he is flush against my back, and finally makes a minor adjustment to my feet’s placement by ushering them to point slightly more forward. 

“Ready?” He whispers into my ear. A shiver runs down my spine at the sensation of his breath tickling my neck. “Remember to focus on the spell, what you want it to do, and where you want it to go. Push it forward with all your strength.”

I think the only reason why Arthur feels the need to remind me is because somehow, he can tell that I’m having a very hard time concentrating with him pressed so close against me.

I look forward at the pile of forest debris on the edge of the clearing. There’s a decaying log covered in smaller fallen branches and leaves. I elect to focus on clearing the smaller branches and debris away, and signal to Arthur that I’m ready: “Okay. Let’s move the branches and debris on that old log there.”

I can feel Arthur nod; his hair tickles my neck as his head bobs up and down. “Alright. Together now.” He commands.

Arthur’s grip tightens around mine and I visualize the wind. I feel it growing in strength in my left hand and I push it forward, Arthur’s body moving in sync with mine as we step forward and use the staff, imagining it to be a fan as we push the wind magic in the direction of the debris.

As soon as the magic leaves the staff, I can feel its raw power as it rips ahead of us with a roar worthy of a storm. Arthur and I watch as the wind takes away not only the small branches but also the rotted log, throwing it deeper into the forest. It must have hit another tree as we hear a sickening CRACK and the creaking, snapping sounds of a tree falling. Arthur and I run into the forest to investigate, chasing after the wind-swept trees with fresh green leaves still fluttering down to the ground from being ripped forcibly off their branches.

A tree’s root system is sticking up out of the ground a bit of a ways into the forest, the tree having fallen in the direction we sent the wind magic. Scattered around the felled tree is what remains of the rotten log, completely shattered into miniscule pieces.

“Wow,” I breathe out slowly, stopping in front of the mess we had created.

“Can I tell you a secret, Frey?” Arthur asks, a coy smile adorning his lips, as he turns to look at me in the sudden darkness of the forest. I look up to investigate the change in lighting and see the moon has been covered by a large grouping of clouds. I nod, casting a small light spell with Arthur’s staff to illuminate our darkened surroundings. The light emanating from the staff reflects off Arthur’s glasses, and when he moves his head slightly, I can see the hypnotizing, rosy glow in his eyes.

“I didn’t actually do anything.” Arthur says plainly.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, tilting my head in confusion.

“The spell. I didn’t actually help you cast it – that amazing display was all your own power.” 

“Arthur, you must be kidding – we knocked a tree down!”

“You knocked a tree down.” Arthur corrects me, still smiling. “I’m assuming that after this spectacle you won’t need any assistance with water or dark magic?”

“I’d appreciate your input… and your staff, for now,” I blush, embarrassed that I didn’t think I would need a staff or weapons to conjure any magic.

“I suppose I can stay for a while longer,” Arthur says with a small smile, palm cupping his chin in thought.

And so he stays by my side, correcting my posture when necessary, using light touches to my elbows or calves to guide me to the correct position with a steadying hand on my waist. A persistent blush remains on my face for the rest of the evening, sparking with renewed ferocity every time Arthur presses himself closer to me. Thankfully, I think my burning cheeks are mostly obscured by the dark night.

\---

Over the next week, I spend most of my time attached to my forge. Porcoline, thankfully, seems to notice my absence in town and is sending meals to my chambers through Meg and Vishnal. By the end of the week, I’ve completed what I think is my finest work. A sword imbued with fire for Forte, and a pair of short dual blades infused with wind magic for myself. I’ve even crafted a new staff for Arthur – the top of the staff has a large, polished sapphire at the tip, and the setting is encrusted with amethyst polished so well, it casts beautiful rainbows across the ground when sunlight hits it.

I almost want to keep it for myself, it’s so beautiful, but I know Arthur is best suited for a staff, and I have a feeling we’ll need every bit of strength we can get in this haunted mansion. Kiel says it’s called the Obsidian Mansion, known for its use of obsidian glass throughout the decor on the inside. It sounds both beautiful and dangerous – sharp, fragile glass that formed in the heat of fiery volcanic explosions, used in chandeliers and other fixtures throughout the mansion. To be fair, beautiful and dangerous is probably exactly how I’d describe the entirety of Obsidian Mansion.

I keep my promise to Arthur and visit him nightly when I’m done for the night working at my forge. While the hot embers cool, I get together a late-night snack for us. Tonight, it’s a small serving of stir-fry with some smaller fish I caught recently. It’s a heavier snack, for sure, but I didn’t eat much dinner, so I’m starved.

I push open the door to Arthur’s office, not bothering to knock any longer. He’s come to expect our nightly meetings. Arthur looks up from his work at his desk, smiling as our eyes meet. Tonight he’s wearing a soft green tee shirt and matching cotton shorts, presumably his pajamas. “What’s that I smell? Fish?” Arthur asks, wrinkling his nose.

“Yes, I hope that’s alright! Do you not like fish?” I say with a smile, placing the dishes down on the coffee table.

“Well, it’s not my favorite...” Arthur admits with a small, regretful smile.

“Don’t worry, I’ll eat your portion too! I’m starved. You can still have the stir-fry.” I say with a smile.

Arthur smiles back at me and we sit together on the couch. By the time he picks up his bowl and chopsticks, I’ve already demolished his fish and have begun to eat my own.

“You certainly look hungry. Have you been working hard?” Arthur asks, politely eating his stir-fry.

“I’m working on forging some new weapons for the Obsidian Mansion! We can’t go until I’ve made some elemental weapons, so I’m trying to get it done as quickly as possible. Without sacrificing quality, of course.” I say between bites of fish.

“That sounds like exhausting work. I myself have worked out a trade agreement for Jozef and Lin Fa – I am excited to see this partnership flourish.”

“I’m excited to see all of Jozef’s soaps for sale! I already used up all of the coffee scrub soap you got for me.” I exclaim.

“You can expect them to be available any day now. As soon as the mail allows, they’ll be here.” Arthur says with a smile.

After some more light conversation, we finish our meals and place our empty bowls on the table with equally contented sighs. Arthur stands from the couch and leans down, placing a feather-light kiss to my forehead.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asks, grinning almost imperceptibly.

“Uh, yes! We’ll start training tomorrow – with Forte, i-if that’s alright!” I stutter out.

My cheeks have already bloomed into a stunning red. This causes Arthur’s smile to grow into a full-on grin. “I do love that color on you, Miss Frey. Please do get home safe.”

\--- 

“Okay! Let’s get to work!” I clap my hands together eagerly, ready to see how the three of us handle our new weapons. It’s later in the evening, the sun having already set – a setting similar to when it was just Arthur and I practicing in Selphia Plains, only now Forte has joined us. Each of us holds our new weapons in hand, ready for practice. I elect to start with Forte, helping her through the steps of using offensive magic. Typically, Forte casts defensive spells when we fight together, so this is a change of pace for her.

“Now place your hands like that... Move them up a little? Tilt your elbow. No, not quite like that...” I attempt to dictate the poses to Forte, but it doesn’t seem to be working very well.

Forte’s spells are fizzling out – small sparks scatter from the edge of her sword as she thrusts it forward, but nothing else happens. Arthur walks over and steps behind Forte, coaxing her arms into position with a gentle touch as he mirrors her position behind her, much like he did with me. “Like this... excellent, Forte. Much better. Try casting now.”

He steps away and allows Forte to practice, and even though it was just for a brief moment, I still feel the flames of jealousy burn hotly in the pit of my stomach. I thought... I thought he only did that with me.

Forte’s spell is a little shaky, but it does the job – once we’re sure she can reliably cast fire magic, we let her try some of the other spells just in case, and find that without the elemental imbuement that the sword adds, her magic just isn’t as strong. That’s okay, though, because she doesn’t need to have a wide variety of spells at her bidding. She just needs to be able to reliably cast at least one.

Still, as I watch Arthur correct her posture, I can’t help but think back to when he did the same for me, and the warmth of his arms around mine. I wonder jealously if Forte is enjoying the same sensations as he does this – and I seem to get my answer, based on her nervous stuttering in response to Arthur’s corrections.

Arthur’s staff works brilliantly to my relief, and for my efforts I’m rewarded with a kindhearted thank you and his hands entwined in mine. He squeezes them tightly to convey his thanks before we return to our practice. My dual blades seem to be in excellent working order as well, which means we’re ready to head to the Obsidian Mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filler is always a little harder to write. I apologize for the extreme delay in this chapter's posting - grades will forever come before creative writing, unfortunately!
> 
> Hands up if you love Arthur in fitted jeans, because I sure do ;3
> 
> Next chapter: The Obsidian Mansion is tackled, and Frey gets jealous.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frey gets jealous and makes a move.

The Obsidian Mansion looms ominously before us. The air has turned dark, cold, and sinister. It’s thick and foggy; almost wet on my skin. Gooseflesh erupts on my arms and I grit my teeth, taking a step forward.

“Well, let’s go!” I exclaim.

Arthur joins me in walking forward, but I notice Forte hasn’t moved. In fact, Forte’s feet remain firmly planted in the dark soil. “Y-You know, I think I should really go back to Selphia. They might need someone to protect the town while I’m gone.”

Forte turns around, intending to head back to Selphia, but Arthur and I each grab one of her shoulders to stop her.

“Forte, I know it’s creepy, but it’s all just monsters in there! You don’t have to be scared–”

“I-I am _not_ scared! I just... think my services could be better used elsewhere.” Forte crosses her arms defiantly, turning her back on the mansion.

“Well, I suppose Frey and I will just have to go inside without you.” Arthur says with a discreet smile, winking at me when Forte isn’t looking.

My cheeks turn pink and I follow along, heading up the steps to enter the mansion. We reach the imposing front doors and open them with an ominous creaking noise, at which we see Forte jump. Finally, a ghost monster – a small grim reaper holding a scythe – comes out from the front doors and quickly advances on Forte, lifting its scythe up to strike.

Forte shrieks and slices at the monster with her sword, sparks and flames emitting from it with a hot glow as she slices through its semi-solid form. It dissipates quickly and Forte is left clutching her sword, breathing heavily.

“See? You’ll be fine. Let’s go inside!” I say, holding the large double doors open.

Forte reluctantly follows Arthur and I into the mansion. We step inside the foyer and look up at the glistening obsidian glass chandelier, sparkling in the lowlight, yet also covered in sticky-looking cobwebs. As we stare up at it, the front doors slam shut behind us. The force from the doors closing shakes the chandelier, and the three of us jump out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by the chandelier falling and shattering against the ground. Forte protectively places herself in front of me, an arm held out across my chest to keep me behind her.

I gently remove her arm, smiling at her in thanks. Across the room, a gathering of monsters is startled by the crash, and start to rush after us to attack.

Forte seems to be paralyzed by fear, so Arthur and I jump ahead to attack. Arthur casts a protective light spell around the three of us, and I make quick work of three of the monsters – a grouping of slime-type monsters and another miniature grim reaper – with my dual blades. The speed I’m able to attack with by having a weapon in each hand is exhilarating, and I think I might enjoy it even more than using a spear and shield. The wind magic that my blades are imbued with lends the extra push I need to send the monsters back to the Forest of Beginnings, and they disappear.

Arthur handles the other two monsters, starting with dark magic, and when he realizes it’s not as effective, he switches to using fire magic. The flames burn hotly and I feel a little bad when I notice it’s leaving scorch marks on the marble flooring of the mansion, but it’s clear the mansion is already past a state of disrepair. I think I’ll be satisfied if the mansion is still standing by the time we leave.

We defeat the grouping of monsters and I turn to look back at Forte, who is crouched behind her defensive light shield, hands covering her head. Her sword lies on the ground. This real, honest fear that I see in her – it’s not like the Forte I know at all. Especially not on the battlefield.

Arthur waves his hand in the air, with a motion like he is zipping up a bag, and the light magic dissipates. He helps Forte stand up and takes her hands in his, gently squeezing them to bring her attention on him. Then he takes her face into his hands, and speaks softly to her – so softly, in fact, I can barely hear it. “Forte. These are monsters just like any others. Ghosts do not exist, and I need you to focus. Help me protect Princess Frey.” He pulls her into a hug and I watch as Forte’s arms slip around his waist, beneath his coat so I’m sure she can feel the warmth of his skin through the thin shirts he wears.

The pit of my stomach churns. Is this jealousy?

“Can you do that for me, Forte?” Arthur asks, again speaking in a soft, confident voice.

Forte pulls back from the hug. I notice her face is as red as a tomato. “Yes, I can. I’m the Dragon Knight. I have to be able to protect our Princess.” She speaks with conviction, but the shakiness in her voice tells me she was deeply affected by Arthur’s actions.

I think back to Beach Day, when Forte and Arthur seemed to be flirting on the beach – or rather, Arthur seemed to be flirting with Forte – and how she reacted then. Does she like him? Does he like her?

My heart aches.

“Do you think you can keep going, Forte?” I ask loudly from a few feet away, feeling more like an outsider among the two of them than ever before.

I thought that I was the only one Arthur treated in that way.

I thought... He _liked me_.

“Yes,” Forte says, swallowing. “Let’s keep going.”

Arthur places a gentle hand on her upper back, ushering her forward. We end up walking in a line: myself in front, Forte in the middle, and Arthur in the rear. After discovering the large double doors in the foyer are locked, we elect to go through the unlocked door to the right. We make our way through several hallways and sitting rooms, fighting against reapers, slimes, and ghosts.

I purposely fall back when ghost monsters appear, allowing Forte to take the initiative and attack them. She seems to hesitate less and less, and eventually gets to a point where she is actively charging the ghosts – I see a small smile form on her face when she slices them in two with her flaming sword, which makes me look back at Arthur with a grin of my own. He smiles back and uses his free hand to swipe my bangs out of my eyes, running the back of his hand down my cheek and along my jawline. I blush as the butterflies return to my stomach. I’ve gotten used to the fluttery feeling that manifests itself whenever I’m around Arthur, but this time the light, fluttery feeling is tainted by the thought of Arthur and Forte embracing earlier in the foyer of the mansion. A small pit forms instead in my stomach as I think of them together.

I grit my teeth and push forward, fighting through another room without regard for Forte and Arthur’s presence – I kill all of the monsters present in the next room without even giving either of them an opportunity to fight. As I’m about to reach for the door to the next room, a ghost appears, and my hand punches through the apparition. It feels cold in the mist of the ghost’s form.

It’s a young girl, who appears to be attached to puppet strings. I enter into a defensive position, ready to fight, but she opens her mouth to speak.

“Please, go this way instead! Save Dolly!” She cries, and flies over to a door leading to the outside of the mansion. She spins around in a circle and as Forte rushes forward to attack, the ghost disappears.

“Well. No harm in going through here, I guess.” I say, gesturing towards the door the ghost had suggested we go through.

Forte shakes her head, and tries the door we were intending to enter. It’s locked.

“I guess we have no choice.” Arthur says, and we go through the door, which leads us outside to an old, stony walkway.

Giant spiders dominate the pathway, and I begin to slice at them with my dual blades. As I feel the long hairs of one spider’s legs graze me, I shriek and jump back. _Gross!_ I instead switch to long distance magic, sending out blades of wind magic to attack.

When we kill all of the spiders, I collect what pieces of them were left behind (cringing as I pick up a still-twitching spider leg), and place them in my rucksack. The three of us sit for a moment, leaning up against the wall of the mansion for a break.

“Should we head back for now?” Arthur suggests.

I shake my head vigorously. “No, I feel like we should investigate what that ghost was talking about.”

“What if it’s a trap, Princess? We should return.” Forte says.

“I’ll keep going, even if you guys don’t. I’m not tired yet.” I pull out some onigiri from my rucksack and hand it to each of them, and eat my own. “Let’s take a short break and then I’ll continue; you can join me if you like.”

Arthur and Forte simultaneously look at me like I’ve grown two heads. “Of course we aren’t leaving you here alone, Miss Frey.” Arthur asserts.

“Yes, Princess, I’ll stay and protect you.” Forte nods.

I smile at Forte’s formality while she is acting as Dragon Knight. She’s so much more serious – yet, I appreciate her dedication.

“Thank you both,” I say with a smile. “Let’s work hard.”

After the short break, we stand and continue walking down the pathway until we come upon another door to reenter the mansion.

When we enter the next room, a giant grim reaper monster is stationed in front of a large doorway. “I _think_ this might be the trap Forte was referring to.” Arthur whispered.

Arthur immediately casts a defensive spell on the three of us, and we all start attacking. The monster goes through cycles where it disappears and we cannot attack it, during which we press ourselves against the walls of the room in an attempt to not be near it when it reappears. When it returns, it lifts its giant scythe and sweeps it across the room. We jump, duck, and parry its attacks to stop it from slicing us, but still I end up getting nicked a few times in the arms and legs. Small trickles of blood leech from the wounds, and Arthur casts a healing spell on me when he notices the blood dripping to the ground.

I’m too busy attacking to stop and heal myself, instead continuing my barrage along with Forte and Arthur until the monster explodes in a mass of obsidian glass shards. Several small pieces embed themselves in my skin and I cry out in pain. I look behind myself and find that Forte and Arthur had appropriately shielded themselves, so I sit and allow Forte to pick out the largest shards while Arthur heals me with magic.

“Miss Frey, I think we should turn back. That’s been quite enough danger for one day, I think.” Arthur says sternly.

“I agree, Princess.” Forte says, helping me back to my feet once they’ve picked out the worst of the glass. I’ll have to go see Jones once we’re done here.

I shake my head no. As if to confirm my thoughts, the young ghost appears again. “Please, you’re almost done! Come this way!” The ghost flies through a set of closed double doors, motioning for us to follow.

“If we’re almost done, we can just finish here and then go back. It can’t be terribly difficult.” I reason.

“Well, she asked us to go this way before, and look at what happened.” Forte deadpans, pointing to the pile of bloodied glass we left on the floor.

“What if it’s not her fault? Whoever Dolly is, we should at least try and save her. What if she needs our help?” I ask seriously.

Arthur sighs in resignation. “I suppose you’re right. If things turn out to be too difficult, we can always turn back.”

The three of us heal each other one final time with healing magic, just to be safe, before entering the next room.

It turns out to be a ballroom. We walk to the center of the room as it sits, eerily silent, before discovering what awaits us.

A giant puppet monster appears along with an avalanche of stuffed animals. All exits are blocked off with some type of magical spell. _Crap._ The monster throws the stuffed animals at us, and I discover (painfully) that they feel as hard as cinderblocks when thrown. Arthur casts a protective light spell around the three of us and we begin our assault. Forte is using her flaming sword’s magical imbuements to extend her fiery slices farther out than the sword physically reaches, thus damaging the marionette without having to get too close.

The monster is quick. Arthur stays in the back, casting magic spells from afar, and I get up close, using my dual blades and wind magic to attack the marionette doll. It seems to be working well, until, without warning, the marionette uses the momentum I am attacking her with to swing herself well out of my attacking range and right towards Arthur.

“Arthur, look out!” I shout, attempting to warn him of the puppet’s impending attack, but it’s too late – she slams right into him, grabbing Arthur and throwing him into a locked toy box. I watch with horror as she throws the box into the center of the room and swords begin to encircle it.

I attack at the box and swords with my wind magic, but I quickly find the box is impenetrable. The swords, on the other hand, can be attacked. I manage to knock out many of the swords with Forte, fighting through tears in my eyes, thinking of how badly Arthur could be hurt, but there are still two remaining when they slice through the box.

I hear Arthur scream in pain and I immediately cast as strong of a healing spell as I can on him while he’s still in the box. The box dumps him out a moment later, covered in blood. He grasps his stomach, breathing heavily, and attempts to stand.

I cast more healing magic on him and help him up as Forte continues the attack on the marionette. “We have to get out of here,” Arthur breathes.

“ _We can’t!_ ” I scream desperately, looking at the impenetrable barriers which still surround the exits. “You stay back, and away from the marionette! I’ll handle it!” I shout, pushing Arthur far away from the puppet.

I throw everything I have at the monster. Fireballs when I’m too far to land a hit with my dual blades, and wind-infused slices against the puppet when I’m close. I slice off a hand, which causes the marionette to shriek. I see the puppet string fall down to the ground with the hand that was being controlled. The marionette’s attacks grow more frenzied as we continue to fight, with Forte and I leading the attack. Arthur remains attacking from a distance with what little strength he has. I can tell he’s angry with me – he wants us to be safe – but we’re stuck here until we kill this monster.

When I feel enough strength come back to me, I cast another healing spell on Arthur, just to be safe. I _need_ him to be safe. Forte continues her barrage, and as the two are fighting, I see the puppet wind up for the same attack that locked Arthur in the toy box. I preemptively attack the puppet just as she tries to pull out a toy box and stuff Forte in it. I smash it with my wind magic and continue to slice at the marionette until it feels like my arms are going to fall off from pure exhaustion.

Just as I feel I might collapse, I slice across the neck of the marionette and it falls to the ground, motionless. All of the marionette strings have fallen as well.  
Its body pulsates and then disappears, leaving behind a miniature marionette doll. I place it in my rucksack, and then I see a young woman materialize on the floor where the doll was. Just like Amber did.

“Guys?!” I shout, calling Arthur and Forte over to my side. “We’ve got to take her to the Clinic!”

I reach down, looking to see if she’s hurt, but then my vision goes black for a moment. I stand back up and I can see again, but I feel unsteady on my feet. I sway back and forth until Arthur steadies me.

“Forte, I need you to carry the girl. I’ll take care of Miss Frey.” Arthur says, pointing at the lady laying on the ground, her pink hair sprawled out around her head.  
Forte nods, and Arthur takes my arm and places it over his shoulders so I’m leaning most of my weight on him. He walks with me, carrying most of my weight with him as we follow Forte out of the double doors that have since opened.

Amazingly, when we exit the ballroom, we are at Dragon Lake in Selphia. That monster was hiding right there – a terrifying thought. On the bright side, that means we are only a short walk to the Little Bandage Clinic.

When we walk in, Jones and Nancy are understandably shocked at our appearance. Our clothes are ripped and bloody, I’m limping and Forte is carrying another mysterious stranger. Nancy brings us all some soup to eat while they take in the pink-haired girl and place her on a cot.

The soup helps me regain some strength, so when Nancy and Jones are ready to look the three of us over, I insist they look at Arthur first. Arthur shakes his head, stating his preference that I’m looked at first, but I interject: “He was stabbed with swords! _Twice!_ ”

That gets Nancy and Jones’ attention, and they whisk Arthur behind a privacy curtain. I hear the rustling of clothes as they undress him to look at his wounds, but the shocked gasp I expected to hear seems to be pleasantly surprised, rather than alarmed.

“Why, it looks like you’ve completely healed! Did you use healing magic?” Jones asks.

“Yes, I believe Miss Frey used some healing magic on me. I wasn’t aware it was enough to completely heal the wounds, though...” Arthur trails off.

“Miss Frey? May we have a word?” Jones calls me over, and I pull the privacy curtain closed behind me as I join the two of them.

Sure enough, Arthur’s chest looks smooth, without a single gash. All that remains are dried blood stains. “Just how much healing magic did you use?” Jones asks me sternly.

“Well, I healed him twice – actually, I think it was three times. When I saw the swords, I was so worried. I just used as much as I could stand. Later, when we were still fighting and I regained enough strength, I did it again. Just to be safe. I wasn’t sure how much damage the swords had done, or how much I had healed him.” I explain.

“You do realize using that much healing magic is extremely taxing? You could have seriously hurt yourself.” Jones shakes his head in disappointment.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Jones – I had to be sure you were okay, Arthur – I didn’t want... I didn’t want you to get hurt!” I can’t say what I really want to: _I didn’t want you to die_ , because that would make it all too real. The fear that struck my heart at the thought of Arthur bleeding out was far too much to bear.

It only made me think more of how jealous I felt when I saw Arthur and Forte embracing. It makes my blood run cold.

“It looks like you’ll need more immediate medical attention than Arthur, Miss Frey. Please take a seat on the next examination table and Nancy will help you. I’m afraid I’m not the best with... red things.” Jones explains, motioning to the multiple small abrasions that still litter my skin.

Nancy sits down on the examination table with me, pulling out a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers. She painstakingly pulls the glass out of my skin, piece by piece, staunching the flow of blood from each wound before she moves on to the next one. I keep looking over my shoulder at Arthur, who gets a cursory look-over and then is told to go home and rest. When he goes to leave, he stops by me and places a hand on my shoulder. I look up at him and see worry in his eyes. “Please listen to what Nancy and Jones tell you.”

I nod. Satisfied, Arthur leaves the Clinic. Once he’s gone, Nancy looks at me with a knowing grin. “What?!” I sputter, embarrassed.

“Nothing, nothing. Ah, to be young again.” She says wistfully, smiling to herself.

Jones has begun to treat Forte now that Arthur’s gone. Nancy works on me for another hour or so until finally I’m cleared to go home, too. I pay Nancy and promise to eat a hearty dinner and rest easy tonight, but really, my heart is in knots.

Now that I’m not distracted by fighting monsters, all I can see is that image of Arthur and Forte every time I close my eyes, like it’s burned into my retinas.

I go to Porcoline’s, intending to get a filling meal without having to cook. I purposely go in through the restaurant doors, avoiding Arthur’s office. With one look at me, still in my armor, skin marred, and hair a mess, Porcoline sits me down at a table.

“Oh, Miss Frey! You look like you’ve fought a brave battle! I’m so proud of you!” Porcoline grows weepy and he dabs at his eyes with the corner of his kitchen apron, “I’ll cook you a delicious, hearty meal! On the house, my dear! You must regain your strength! In the meantime, here’s some tea my love! Oh, forgive me for not fighting alongside you on the battlefield!” Porcoline cries all the way back to the kitchen once he’s placed a teapot on my table.

Apologetically, Dylas comes to the table and switches out the teapot. I raise an eyebrow and Dylas shows me the teapot Porcoline had placed on my table is empty. “I saw him drink it when he came to get it. I don’t think he even realizes he did it,” Dylas explains in a monotone voice, cracking a small smile.

“Thanks, Dylas.”

“No problem. Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” He suggests, heading back to the counter.

Meg is in the corner playing her harp, but she stops when she notices me at a table. “Frey!” She calls out, sitting eagerly at my table with me. “You look terrible! What happened?!”

“I went with Forte and Arthur to the Obsidian Mansion. We fought ghost monsters... It was really tough.” I explain.

“Wow! Great work, though! I’m proud of you!” Meg exclaims, pulling me into a gentle hug.

Seeing Meg fills me with relief. Maybe she’ll have some advice for what to do about this pit in my stomach. “Hey, I know you’re working, but do you think you could take off for tonight? We can have dinner together?” I suggest.

“Yeah, like a girl’s night? I’m sure Porco wouldn’t mind.” Meg smiles.

“Can it just be the two of us, though? I have something I want to talk to you about...” I say quietly.

“Of course. Let me tell Porco to get your dinner to go! We’ll go over to my house.” Meg goes behind the kitchen counter, and there’s a little screaming and finger pointing on her end before she walks away with several containers full of food. “I swear; I don’t know how he makes a profit with how much food he eats.” Meg rolls her eyes and motions for me to follow her out the front door.

At her house, we set the food down on her dining table and begin to eat. I quickly realize I’m ravenously hungry, and eat a majority of what Porco made for the two of us. I devour rows of pot stickers, a slab of roast pork, fried rice, and a bowl of curried stew. I want to talk to Meg, but I’m so hungry, I elect to eat before we start. Meg finishes before me and patiently waits for me to finish eating. When I’m done, I breathe out slowly, deeply satisfied. I’ll have to do something nice for Porco as a thank-you.

“Okay, spill the beans! What did you want to talk about?” Meg leans forward, almost manic in her excitement.

And so, I tell her. Everything. Arthur and I’s nightly rendezvous, the jealousy, the intimate touches that I thought were reserved just for the two of us. Meg’s jaw steadily drops as I tell her everything, until finally she closes her mouth so she can say, “Oh. My. _Gosh!_ ” I continue to sit silently, unsure of what else to say, when she continues unprompted: “You have to tell him! You have to confess!”

“I don’t think he even likes me, Meg... I just need to find a way to get over this – this feeling, and...”

“And _mope around_ for goodness knows how long? No. You’re going to confess to Arthur.”

“He’ll reject me, I know it.” I say dejectedly. “Besides, I don’t want to lose him as a friend just because I decided to get all mushy on him...”

“There is absolutely no way he will reject you. You are like, the center of his universe.”

I scoff. “Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious! Meg insists. “Please. Tell him. You won’t regret it.”

“I really don’t think he likes me, Meg.” I frown.

“Frey... from what you’ve told me, that’s _exactly_ what it sounds like. I think he was just teasing Forte on Beach Day, and he was just trying to make her feel better today at the Obsidian Mansion.”

“Well isn’t that what he’s doing with me, too, then? Just teasing me and trying to make me feel better when I’m sad?” Tears well up in my eyes as I realize the truth. Arthur doesn’t like me; he’s just being a good friend. And I had to go and fall for him.

“ _Frey._ ” Meg says sternly. Her finger is pointed menacingly at my face. _Uh-oh._ Meg’s game face is on. “Think of every time Arthur made you blush, made you feel butterflies in your stomach, made you want to be with him.” I nod, following along.

The subtle touches – the small of my back, my wrists, my cheek, my forehead, and hair... Holding hands with me, holding me close as he helps me cast a spell, the hug underwater, when he purposely swiped whipped cream on my nose just so he could pull me close and gently wipe it off...

“He was _flirting with you_ every single one of those times. God, I had to watch it myself, too! Brunch with you two that one time was like being a _total_ third-wheel.” Meg rolls her eyes, exasperated.

I pout, not completely convinced I should give in and confess.

“You’re going to march into his office, give him your best home-cooked meal – because I _know_ he loves your cooking – and you’re going to tell him you love him!”

My cheeks turn a dark shade of red. “I-I’m going to tell him I _love_ him?” I sputter.

“Yes. Because you do.” Meg glares at me, poking me in the chest with her pointer finger.

“I do.” I whisper, looking down at my lap.

“You do! Now go home and get some rest. You can tell him tomorrow.”

\---

The next afternoon, in time for lunch, I make my way to Arthur’s office with the pickled turnip onigiri he likes so much, complete with cute faces cut out of nori. They’re packed in a small box I lined with green herb leaves. I knock on the doors to his office and then wait a moment and enter.

Arthur is, of course, at his desk. Today, he’s wearing his typical soft, threaded at the throat shirt with high-waist pants and a cloth belt that sways as he walks, only he’s missing his characteristic scarf. His throat and collarbones look almost too exposed without it, and I try not to stare at his soft skin as I attempt to smile at him. He stands to greet me, smiling, and I shove the box of onigiri in his hands as he walks around his desk to meet me.

“I made these for you for lunch, I-I hope you like them.” I explain. My words come out shakily, and my cheeks are already a deep red, I’m sure. My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of its chest.

“Why thank you, Frey. I will most certainly enjoy them – the last time you made these for us, they were positively delicious.” Arthur says with a smile, placing the onigiri down on his desk. He places a hand on his hip casually. “Is there anything I can help you with today? Weather predictions, perhaps? Otherwise, I believe you should be resting still, Miss Frey. Doctor’s orders.” He wags a finger at me playfully.

Ordinarily I’d laugh along, but I’m so strung out, I can’t seem to. “Arthur,” I begin, attempting to steady my breathing.

He sees I’m struggling with what I’d like to say and the playful demeanor vanishes from his face, replaced with mild concern.

“Arthur...” I look up into his shining red eyes. He looks at me with soft eyes, surely curious as to what I have to say. “Seeing you with other girls... S-seeing you comfort Forte at the Obsidian Mansion, it makes me... Jealous. I – I want to be the only one receiving your affection.”

Arthur’s eyes widen, almost imperceptibly.

“I love you!” I shout, unable to keep it bottled up any longer.

I look into his eyes expectantly, and nearly feel my heart cleave in two when he turns his head quickly to the side, looking away.

His voice is cold when he speaks. “This is a cruel joke to play, Miss Frey. I’d think it best if you left.”

Tears well in my eyes at his dismissal of my confession – his refusal to even consider that I was telling him my true feelings. “ _It’s not a joke!_ ” I shout so loudly that my throat burns and my voice cracks from the lump in my throat. “I’m in love with you!” The tears spill over and roll down my cheeks, and I rub at them, hiccupping embarrassingly when I can’t get my tears under control.

“I’ve been in love with you for a while, now.” I whisper.

Arthur pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to me, robot-like in his movements. Then, he slowly places a hand over his own heart, furrowing his brow. “...I’ll need some time to think this over. Will you give me until tomorrow morning? Say, ten o’clock? I’ll come by the castle. Then I’ll have an answer for you.”  
Arthur walks over to his runic notebook on the other side of his desk, opening it up to today’s agenda. It’s full of appointments, reminders, and assignments. He waves a hand over the page, entirely clearing his schedule for the day.

I nod, still wiping at my tears with his handkerchief. “I’ll see you then,” is all I can manage to say before I leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW! I am so sorry I've left it here for you all. I know it's a terrible cliffhanger, so I'll do my best to update quickly. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to your thoughts on it! <3


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